The Forgotten Daughter
by Perseia Jackson
Summary: HP/PJO Crossover: AU: Fem!Harry. Melinda Potter thought she had no family alive, she never believed she was special. belittled and abused by her relatives she hadn't counted on finding a home at Hogwarts, and a family along the way. She hadn't counted on being a Half-Blood in more ways then one.
1. Before The Lightning

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize. If you recognize it, I don't own it.  
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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 1: Before the Lightning. **

**May 2nd, 2006**

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: **

"It's over," Melinda Potter said as she stood on a chunk of ruble from the same bridge Voldemort had led his army across, forcing Hagrid to carry her limp body for all to see.

She was pretty high up, she realized. If she lost her balance from up here... she chuckled bitterly. The war had cost her so much, and she had a gut feeling it wasn't over for her yet.

Sure, she'd defeated Voldemort but something told her she had another war to fight and she wasn't sure she liked that.

Wasn't she allowed some time to rest after this? Not to mention she had Teddy to take care of now, she wasn't some veteran who could go home now and do nothing.

She had responsibilities, another war would only cause her problems. Though, she supposed Teddy would be alright with his grandmother for now.

"Why didn't it work for him, the elder wand?" Hermione asked.

Melinda snorted.

"It answered to somebody else. When he killed Snape he thought the wand would become his but..." she turned to look at them. "The wand was never his, it was Draco's. He disarmed Dumbledore that night in the astronomy tower. Voldemort killed the wrong man for power, not that it would matter."

She twirled the wand in her hand.

"It was Draco I disarmed in Malfoy Manner, now the wand answers to me."

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks and stared at their friend in shock.

"So what should we do with it?" Ron asked, sort of dazed.

Melinda chuckled as Hermione turned to the youngest male Weasley.

"We!" she demanded and Ron shrugged.

"Hermione, that's the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in the world," he said. "With that we'd be invincible."

Melinda sighed.

"Invincibility, it's so overrated," she said. "I plan to destroy it...soon. I don't know exactly how soon but something tells me I'll need it for now."

"I'm not surprised you don't want that sort of power or responsibility but...what would possibly be so dire you'd need it?" Hermione asked, concerned.

Melinda jumped off the rock that used to be part of the railing of the stone bridge and placed the wand in her right boot.

"I don't know exactly, but I've always trusted my gut before," she replied.

"Well, we'll be with you if you want us to be," Ron said coming to one side of the near-black haired girl.

Melinda's green eyes, bright yet sort of sea colored in the sunlight, smiled along with her.

"You know I'd love that guys, but this adventure I have to go alone. It's not something you two can do with me," she said and Hermione sighed.

"It has to do with your birth father, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I think it does."

"Okay," Ron said as they watched the sun rise even higher over the grounds. "Just remember, if you need us all you have to do is call."

Melinda grinned, hugging her two best friends.

"I know, and if you don't hear from me for a long time...go to Gringotts after a year and if something has happened..."

"Don't say that Mellie," Hermione interrupted. "Nothing will happen to you, but if you haven't contacted us in a years time, every year, then we'll go."

Melinda smiled. She didn't know what fate had in store for her but she knew it wouldn't be an easy ride. It might be one she didn't come back from.

**xXx**

**March 31st, 2006:**

**Empire State Building,**

**600th Floor;**

"What do you want now Zeus, I've already told you I didn't have your stupid bolt," Poseidon said bored.

He sat on his throne, his head propped up on his hand, his elbow on the arm of his throne.

Zeus and Athena where the only two gods present. Both look grim, something he was slightly worried about.

"So you say brother, but I d not believe it. Especially not after the news I've found from Athena. I was under the impression you had sent your son to steel it, and I still believe he did but not without help."

Poseidon frowned.

"What are you getting at?"

"I was checking on a descendant of mine, in England. Hermione Granger, she's my great-great-great granddaughter on her mother's side of the family. I happened to get a view of a girl, a school mate of Hermione's." Athena arched an eyebrow at Poseidon. "Her name is Melinda Potter, she seems to be very...famous in the world Hecate helped build centuries ago. At first I thought she might be Zeus' girl, or a legacy of his because of her ability in the air, and this peculiar scar on her forehead, but then I saw her eyes."

"You never told me you had a daughter as well Poseidon," Zeus growled.

Poseidon paled, and he gritted his teeth. "Leave Melinda out of this, she is of no concern!"

"How old is she Poseidon?" Athena asked. "She looked around sixteen, and you know the prophecy..."

"Can not be about her," he growled. "Melinda is nearly eighteen, that is two years older then the prophecy states."

Zeus and Athena shared a look and Poseidon sighed.

"I didn't know about Melinda until she was born. It was summer of 1987 when I met her mother, Lily Potter nee Evans. I didn't even realize she was married until I'd already fallen for the beautiful redhead. She had the most amazing eyes, bright emeralds. Lily always said Melinda had my eyes, just more green, I always thought she had Lily's eyes." He looked to his brother and niece with hard eyes.

"I knew she was in danger from you all, no one could know of her. Lily was supposedly unable to have children because of an injury she got while in school, a curse gone wrong, but against all odds we conceived Melinda. She told her husband everything, he was just so happy to have a child around the house he didn't care she wasn't his by blood. He gave her his name, his family heritage by adoption. Not many in that world would do that for a child not even of their blood. Many Purebloods would have divorced their wives if they couldn't give them an heir, Lily told me this herself."

He shook his head.

"I didn't know Lily and her husband had been slaughtered until Melinda was nearly ten years old. I knew I couldn't take her away from her mother's relatives, who are the worst kind of people, but I did visit her. To make sure she was alright, alive. She found out about me later and I sent one of my court to give her a weapon, for her protection. I don't know much of how she is these days."

"It's a touching story brother, but it doesn't matter. She could be dangerous, she has lived to see sixteen after all and your son. It is my belief you've used them to steel my bolt and if it is not back by the summer solstice..." Zeus glared as he trailed off and Poseidon glared back as his brother turned his back and walked off.

Athena gave him a pitying look.

"I hope you know what you've done Athena," Poseidon said. "My children have nothing to do with Zeus' missing bolt and if they are killed for this, there will be war."

Athena sighed as Poseidon stormed off. For once she wasn't so sure bringing Melinda Potter to Zeus' attention was such a wise idea after all.


	2. The Years Before

**AN: I want to thank you all for the reviews. I am also sorry the chapter is so short, but they'll get longer as the story progresses.  
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**After all next we get to see how changed Melinda's first year of Hogwarts will be with all these differences. **

**Will she still be a Gryffindor? Slytherin? Ravenclaw, maybe even a Hufflepuff? Guess we'll have to wait and see.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and remember to R&R!**

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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 2: The Years Before.**

**June 1998,**

**Surrey, England: **

He'd gotten word of their demise too late. Years too late, and at first he'd thought his daughter had perished with Lily and James.

It had only been because of his most faithful naiad and Hecate herself he'd found out otherwise.

On October 31st, 1989 the Wizarding worlds current Dark Lord acted on a prophecy made that fit Melinda and killed Lily and James. When he'd tried to kill Melinda with the Killing curse it had bounced back and forced his soul from his body.

It had come as a nasty shock for him, his daughter had survived one of the darkest and deadliest pieces of magic ever made – something no other demigod had ever accomplished.

Hecate had admitted that she'd given Melinda her blessing, not only for magic but as a descendant of hers.

She was very fond of her great granddaughter – Lily having been her granddaughter.

That along with being his daughter, and Lily's sacrifice for her daughter had saved her. Hecate had also admitted, grudgingly, that even at a year old Melinda was powerful in her own right.

That was a year ago, he'd been searching for Melinda since. He couldn't raise her in Atlantis, unfortunately, but he could at least make sure she was safe.

It was probably Hecate's blessing and her own magic protecting her from monsters sniffing her out.

Not to mention the family she lived with was horrid, their scents would cover up even the most powerful of demigods.

This is what found him in England in the middle of June, a year before she'd be accepted to the school Hecate inspired four demigods to build over a thousand years ago – or maybe it was exactly a thousand years?

Salazar Slytherin, son of Hecate. Godric Gryffindor, son of Zeus. Helga Hufflepuff, daughter of Apollo. And finally, Rowena Ravenclaw, daughter of Athena.

Hogwarts, he thought they had called it. Truth was, not many demigods were witches or wizards as well.

Melinda would be the first in a long time, centuries if his math was correct.

"A weird girl," he heard a woman say as she passed him at the park. "She never plays with anyone. She just sits at that swing most days."

He turned slightly, slowing down to catch the rest of what was said.

The blonde older woman who'd spoken first was speaking to a younger brunette with a stroller.

"Who?" the brunette asked.

"The Potter girl, those dreadful Dursley's niece."

As the were out of hearing distance Poseidon smiled. Dursley wasn't very common name and he knew from what Lily had told him that was her sister's married name. And a Dursley with a niece called Potter, it had to be Melinda.

Sure enough in the empty playground on Magnolia Crescent, on a swing, sat a little girl.

She was much to small for her age, she should be nearly ten, but she barely looked eight.

She was skinny, with baggy clothes that shouldn't be appropriate on a girl. The shirt looked like it had been a whales and the skirt looked like something out of the seventies and was held by a belt to her waist.

The only thing that seemed to fit her were little white dress shoes and socks but they also seemed at least one size too big.

Her hair was dark brown, nearly black but he could barely make out lighter brown/auburn highlights running through it in the sunlight.

Her eyes were lowered to the ground but he knew already what color they were. Bright green, that at times looked like an emerald plucked from the sea – words used by Lily herself.

Her skin was tanned, much like his own but lighter, but just barely.

Her features were sharp, a little too sharp because she was so malnourished, but he could tell as he got closer and she looked up that she had her mothers curious nature, heart shaped face, and eyes – in shape and partially in color.

Otherwise she looked like him, but female.

"Hello," Poseidon said, and then motioned to the swing beside her. "Can I sit here?"

Melinda tilted her head to one side and her slightly wavy hair fell away a bit, leaving him to not only see a rather ironic lightning bolt scar on her forehead, but also a bruise down her right cheek bone.

He had to stop himself from getting angry, and when she nodded he sat down, taring his eyes away from the bruise on her cheek.

He'd have to pay a visit to the Dursley's after this, he could tell the bruise had to come from one of them, it was too prominent and large to be anything else.

"Thank you," he said, slightly worried that his daughter wasn't talking, and was staring at him in a manner that made him feel like a puzzle being dissected. "What's you name?"

"My aunt tells my cousin not to talk to strangers," she finally said, her voice was so soft and quiet it almost made him jump.

He blinked, arching an eyebrow at the little girl.

"She tells your cousin, but not you?"

She looked down, her eyes darkening, and if he wasn't wrong filling with moisture.

He wished he could tell her everything now, but he knew it would be to dangerous even with her being protected so thoroughly.

"Aunt Petunia wouldn't care if something happened to me, she only cares about Dudley," Melinda said in a resigned manner. "She'd be happy I was talking to you."

Lifting her chin up in a defying manner, she smiled slightly, but not the smile a child should wear.

"My name is Melinda Pearl Potter," she said, with such pride that it made Poseidon smile at her.

"Do you always introduce yourself with your full name Melinda?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"U-huh, I didn't know my name until I started primary school, so I like to let everyone know it."

He chuckled.

"Well, my name is Poseidon Evanson," he replied, using a last name variation of Lily's maiden name.

He figured her relatives didn't talk enough about Lily for her to make the connection.

"Poseidon?" she questioned with wide eyes. "Like the god of the sea? I read a book on the gods once, it was interesting and I could read it! Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon say I can't read because I'm a freak but my teacher, Mrs. Wise, said it's because I'm dyslexic."

Poseidon chuckled, amused at this knowledge, though angry at the mention of her relatives.

"Yes, exactly like that. My mother was very into the Greek myths. All my siblings are named after them actually."

He had to stop a snicker at her teachers name and wondered if maybe the woman was related to Athena in some way. But it was probably just a coincidence, an ironic one but nonetheless.

"Mrs. Wise is also correct, I have a son a little younger then you who has dyslexia and ADHD, it's completely normal for some people to have." Melinda's eyes widened.

"I have that too, I mean the ADHD. The one who diagnosed me suggested medication for it to my relatives, but I don't want to take anything for it. I think it's important for me to have, and it doesn't matter anyways because my Aunt and Uncle wouldn't buy me anything anyways."

She bit her lip, like she had said something she shouldn't have.

"How old is your son? What's his name? do I know him?"

Poseidon grinned, and she grinned back and he realized she might have her mothers nature and looks in some ways, along with her smile, but her grin was all him.

Her eyes even lit up like the sea when happy or in direct sunlight.

"I'm afraid you wouldn't, he lives in America with his mother. I'm a sailor you see, so I don't come on land often. His name is Perseus Jackson, he's five this August though."

Melinda looked down at that but then looked back up. "I like that name, Perseus. He was a son of Zeus in mythology and he defeated Medusa."

Poseidon smiled. "You like Mythology I take it?"

She nodded.

"I love it, there is this book at the library that I was given for my birthday last year. The librarian is really nice. It's older and no one can really read it since it's in this language, I think she called it Ancient Greek and she gave it to me. I don't know if she believed I could really read it or not but I can," Melinda said, sternly. "You believe me right Mr. Poseidon?"

He grinned, nodding.

"Of course, what's your favorite part of the book?"

Melinda scrunched up her face in concentration.

"Ummm, the part about Poseidon, Zeus and Hades and how they decided who would rule what. I also like the myth of Perseus, and Theseus. I like Athena too, how she was born is kind of neat and she's smart and I like her name."

Poseidon's eyes practically twinkled at this.

"Those are all good parts," he said and then reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a golden chain necklace with a medium sized pearl at the end. It shimmered like the sea.

Melinda's eyes widened. "That's pretty, is it yours?"

He shook his head.

"Nope," he said, and Melinda blinked up at him. "It's yours, if you'll have it."

Melinda stared at the necklace and bit her lip.

"Why would you want to give it to me? I'm just Melinda, nothing special."

"I think you're very special, more so then your relatives or anyone else I've met. Your very bright for your age and speak your mind. I could tell you told me some things you wouldn't tell anyone else and are unsure about that decision," he began and held the necklace out in front of her.

"This necklace is said to be made from a special metal and the pearl is from Atlantis itself. Inside is an endless supply of sea water, special sea water from a special fountain in Atlantis. The water will heal nearly any wound or poison with just a single drop – but while it's endless you have to use it sparingly because too much can be a bad thing. Especially for anyone other than yourself."

"I don't understand."

Poseidon smiled.

"I know, and you might not until you're older, but just remember what I told you. If you use the water for anyone other then yourself, or another like you, use it sparingly, no more than half a drop."

Melinda nodded and took the necklace.

"But my relatives, they'd never let me keep it. They'd take it and sell it, or destroy it."

She said this so sadly Poseidon wanted to go to Privet Drive and teach the Dursley's an even bigger lesson about messing with children of the gods.

"Not this one they won't, no one can see it unless you show them. Like I said, it's special, like you," he said, patting her head gently and standing.

"Will I see you again?" she called in question and he turned back to her and smiled.

"I'm sure of it," he said and then waved, walking off towards Privet Drive.

He had a family of mortals to talk to before Melinda arrived back for the day.

**xXx**

Melinda never forgot the day she received her first gift that wasn't a book – one she could read anyways – and she always remembered Poseidon, the man who'd talked to her like she was more then a waste of space.

Something else happened that day though, not only did she find out the pearl really did heal her – she'd had a broken rib for a month and the bruise on her face which were both healed by just one drop of the water inside the pearl.

She'd always noticed water made her feel better, the few baths she'd taken always rejuvenated her but her relatives noticed this and she was only allowed two minute showers since she was five.

She'd always loved the rain and being forced out in it never made her sick once, nor did the snow, though she wasn't too fond of being so cold. But it hadn't ever healed her to the extent that the pearl's water did.

She also noticed that over the next year she'd been gaining weight, very slowly. Like the water was also trying to help her body grow and not loose even more weight.

It might have also been to do with the fact her relatives had changed since that day. She didn't know what changed but they suddenly moved her to Dudley's second bedroom and gave her more food.

She still had her chores, which was nearly ever chore in the whole house and yard but she was also given more food – not like what the Dursley's ate but she didn't go to bed hungry every night.

She couldn't say that they didn't still hit her every now and then, but the beatings that had occurred before she met Mr. Poseidon had pretty much stopped. It didn't seem to stop Dudley's bullying though and she hated when he resumed his favorite hobby of Mellie Hunting soon after.

She was happy she was so fast, or he'd have probably done more damage then the Pearl could heal since he was so upset over the lose of his second bedroom.

In the next year she'd read any Greek book she could find, which was surprised by the fact she found them easier than before.

The assistant librarian at the library seemed to always be smiling at her, her eyes being the most peculiar violet/blue, like a violet flower floating in the ocean.

Her dark wavy red hair falling down her face, but she was only there long enough for her to find the books she wanted and she was never there when she went to leave.

When she was near lakes, rivers or bodies of water she noticed women waving at her.

At first she thought she was crazy but they reminded her of the woman with the peculiar eyes so she would wave back when none could notice.

She didn't need her relatives to see her doing anything freakish, in their opinion.

Almost exactly a year later the letters began arriving and she began to wonder if maybe there were things about Mr. Poseidon she had yet to learn. Things about herself as well.


	3. The Years Before: Year One

**AN: So here we go, the beginning to of year one. **

**Someone asked if nectar was in the pearl. **

**The answer is no, the water is simply blessed healing water from a spring in Atlantis. Unfortunately for someone who isn't a child of the sea it can act like Nectar and be very deadly. **

**She can use it on another demigod but she has to use it carefully and only in emergency. With Percy it wouldn't matter since he is part of the sea. **

**With a mortal only half a drop cause more could be deadly to them.**

**Also if she uses it to often on herself it can become addictive and eventually act similar to nectar. This happens because she isn't a goddess born of the sea but a demigod.**

**Now, on with the story. Enjoy and tell me what you all think.**

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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 3: The Years Before: Year One. **

Melinda wasn't normally a eavesdropper.

One of her primary school teachers had told her once that no one liked an eavesdropper, but what was she supposed to do?

Her relatives had literally tossed her out of the kitchen with her bowling ball of lard cousin, Dudley. All because of a mysterious letter.

Letters addressed to her, not to them.

She didn't get mad often, the Dursley's had pretty much made it clear temper-tantrums would only be tolerated from Dudley. But this was only the second time anyone had ever given her something, the first being from Mr. Poseidon.

Thinking of the mans gift led her to the place her necklace lay against her chest. She'd hoped she see the man again, he reminded her of someone but it was all so blurry.

Just a warm glow of a smile, she'd always thought it was her father before. But her father was dead, wasn't he?

Melinda groaned as Dudley once again hit her in the head, which wasn't exactly hard for the tub of lard since she lay on the floor, looking through the crack to try and see and hear what she could from inside the room.

Dudley had unfortunately won the right to the key hole. She only prayed he didn't sit on her next.

"I will not have one of them in my own home Petunia!"

"Shh, Vernon you'll alert the neighbors."

"Hogwash, magic indeed!"

Melinda stifled a gasp, but Dudley didn't have that control.

Both were shocked though, Uncle Vernon had said the M-word. Melinda remembered a thrashing she'd received when she was three, or had she been four, when she'd dared utter the word.

"Vernon!" Aunt Petunia gasped, clearly offended. "We have to do something. We knew this day would come but we never thought of what we'd do."

"Nothing, we'll do nothing Pet."

Melinda furrowed her brow.

"She has a room of her own now, ever since that accursed man...she's fed better. They have nothing on us. We'll leave for somewhere they can't find us if we have too."

"But..."

"Not buts Petunia! We'll ignore it, and it'll go away."

Footsteps sounded as the argument ended and Melinda got to her feet quickly. So quickly she bumped into Dudley.

"Watch where you're going freak," he snapped and pushed her against the hall wall as he darted up the stairs.

Melinda glowered after him and hearing the door handle turning she quickly, almost as if in slow motion, darted for the stairs and ran up them three at a time.

She was safely in her room by the time either her Aunt or Uncle would have possibly seen her after opening the door.

As she sat on the bed she couldn't help but wonder what her Uncle meant. Was he being serious about magic, or was he being metaphorical?

**xXx**

The next few days were crazy.

Melinda wasn't sure who would snap first, but it had ended up being her uncle after the thousands of letters which had shot through every slot they could find in the home.

The chimney being the most prominent.

The yells and screams of her relatives as she'd tried to catch her own letter and get away to read it had been sort of refreshing.

She wanted to believe it was karma, or maybe the gods were on her side. Of course that didn't last long.

She was sure her uncle would crack a rib when he'd grabbed her, screaming of leaving and having had enough of those blasted letters.

She'd had no doubt in her mind he was fed up, but than she was sure his sanity had snapped like a twig under a boot.

Waves of water crashed over the rocks, as Melinda laid under the rag her relatives called a blanket on the hard sandy floor of the cottage on the rock in the middle of the sea.

It was cold, and loud and she was beginning to think she was loosing feeling in her legs. Or maybe they'd fallen asleep, she mused to herself as she drew a birthday cake in the sandy surface below her.

"Happy Birthday Melinda," she whispered to herself as the last minute before midnight and her birthday arrived.

July 31st, she was now officially 11 years old.

The storm was worse than some she'd witnessed, maybe it was just from being in the middle of the sea.

True, she had no fear of the sea, she loved it. It was beautiful and welcoming like a long lost relative or best friend. She couldn't swim, but she had a feeling that if she wanted to she could learn really fast.

Melinda gasped as a booming sound came from outside. She wasn't sure whether this was a good or bad thing, was the rock crumbling into the sea or was lightning striking them?

Would they all die here on this rock together? She didn't like the idea at all, she could care less what happened to her relatives – okay, so maybe she cared a little – but she'd _hate_ to have to die with them of all people.

BOOM! It shook the cottage and her relatives shot up just as the door was knocked down.

"Wha-what's that!" Vernon exclaimed, grabbing the slender package he'd brought with him.

A shotgun, not exactly a weapon Melinda felt comfortable around. Especially knowing her uncle and aunts animosity towards her.

"Daddy! Mummy!" Dudley screamed, scurrying behind his mother.

Melinda couldn't hold back the eye roll that his reaction caused. Her cousin was more swine than human and his scream had sounded more like a pig squealing than a terrified human.

She couldn't exactly condemn him on hiding though. She'd jumped into the first corner and shadow she could find as the humungous hulking figure towered taller than the door itself, entered.

She had to wonder how he'd fit inside, but by some miracle the giant of a man did.

"I demand you explain yourself right this instant!" Vernon snarled, raising the gun and Melinda bit her lip.

Part of her didn't know whether she should cheer on her uncle or this mysterious man.

"Oh, quiet you great pudding of a muggle," the giant snapped, taking the gun in one hand and twisting it like a balloon animal.

Melinda's jaw dropped, and the man came into the light, lifting the door back into place before turning back to them.

He was a giant of a man, as said before, with a long scraggly dark beard and equally as dark brown hair on his head. He was dressed in what seemed like animal skins, or maybe some sort of material she just hadn't seen before. Oddly, compared to what she was used to.

"You are breaking and entering!"

"Can't exactly break into a place already so broken down, Dursley," the giant snapped and his beady dark eyes scanned the room.

Somehow they seemed to land on her, and she'd realized she moved from the shadows a bit. To her surprise the giant grinned.

"Ah, there ya are Melinda!" he exclaimed, and smiled. "Ya look a lot like yer parents, you do. You have your mother's eyes."

Melinda's eyes got slightly wider, but she still wasn't sure she could trust this man. He knew her parents though, she thought.

"I do?" she asked, and the man laughed.

"Why, by Merlin's beard, Mel, whose eyes did ya think you had?"

The giant moved forward and Melinda took a tentative step as well. She could see her cousin cowering still and aunt and uncle spluttering in surprise.

"Now see here sir, you will not go near that girl!" Vernon yelled. "I swore when we took the brat in we'd make a normal human being out of her. I will not have you corrupting that!"

The giant's soft eyes hardened as he glared at her uncle.

"Stop her? Stop Melinda Potter from her own birthright!"

Melinda stared in confusion.

What birthright? Her relatives had told her that her parents were good for nothing drunks with no self preservation and no intelligence as to use protection during sex.

That she was a waste of space mistake that her mother should have taken care of.

Melinda had been small when told this and it had broken her heart, but she couldn't believe it.

She remembered, vaguely, a warm glowing smile of someone she knew was her father and the sparkling emerald eyes, a slightly different shade but with the same brightness as hers, singing a lullaby to her.

She couldn't quite recall the lullaby, though.

"I will not have one of your kind in my home!" Vernon yelled.

"I'd like to see a great muggle like yourself try and stop her. She's been down in the books to attend Hogwarts since she was barely a week old! She'll be going to a school of the best minds in the world and be taught under the best Headmaster Hogwarts has ever known!"

"I will not have it!"

Her uncles face was nearly blue by now it was so purple.

"Excuse me sir," Melinda began stepping forward some. "But what do you mean, Hogwarts?"

The giants eye's widened.

"You mean you don't know?"

She shook her head.

"Melinda Potter, doesn't know?" he muttered and then turned slightly red, spinning on her uncle. "DURSLEY!"

Her uncle spluttered as he tried to speak.

"I've said before, we swore we'd stamp out that unnatural nonsense. Magic, hogwash I say. It's not natural and it's not normal."

Her aunt nodded.

"Yes, I will not have another of those freaks around me."

The giant laughed bitterly.

"It's a bit late for that Dursley."

He turned to her, his face softening.

"Melinda, I never thought I'd have to explain this but here it goes. You're a witch."

Melinda's eyes widened, her jaw dropping. "I'm what?"

"A witch, a powerful one I'd wager." the giant chuckled. "Just like you mum and dad. They were the best of their generation, some of the best people I ever did meet."

"Stop!" Vernon yelled. "I demand you stop this instant."

The giant rolled his eyes.

"Oh, go boil your head you great lump," he snapped.

"I can't be a witch," Melinda finally said.

"And why not? Why, Melinda Potter not a witch, that's biggest bunch of rubbish I ever did hear."

She bit her lip thinking of all the strange things that happened around her.

When she'd turned her teachers wig blue, or when she'd suddenly found herself on the school roof. Or with the Pearl she'd been given by Mr. Poseidon and the snakes.

She remembered on Dudley's birthday they'd went to the zoo and she'd been able to understand and talk to the snake, letting it loose at the same time.

Could magic be real, could she be a witch?

From her Aunt Petunia's explosion she knew that answer.

Yes, she, Melinda Pearl Potter, daughter of Lily and James Potter was a witch.

But what did that make Mr. Poseidon?

**xXx**

Diagon Alley was magnificent.

It looked like something right out of a fantasy book and everyone was dressed like they came from a medieval fair, or maybe even an era farther back than that.

She took a great interest in everything, mostly in the fact she was going to learn magic. She was also struck dumb by the creatures.

Goblins, Hagrid – as she'd learned his name was – had called them. She definitely didn't think she wanted to be on the wrong side of them.

They seemed like interesting beings though. The way they'd looked at her and she was sure one had sniffed her made her uncomfortable though.

She found Potions the most interesting. It reminded her of cooking, and gods knew she'd done a lot of that in the past.

She could cook for an army, because that was the amount Uncle Vernon could eat alone if he really wanted. So in all honesty she'd learned to cook enough for three armies living with her relatives.

The robe shop was a experience all in its own.

"Hogwarts as well?" An aristocratic blonde with sharp features, almost elven looking, asked.

He was also rather pale, not like Melinda herself. His eyes were a silver color, though it was almost like they had hints of blue that made then seem like a really light blue at times.

Melinda nodded as she stood on the stool, the older witch working around her with needle and thread.

She assumed it was all needed to be fitted. She had no experience in this kind of thing.

"Me as well, my parents are out getting some of my supplies. I'm thinking of bullying my father into getting me a broom, I think it's it outrageous that they don't allow first years to have them."

She only half listened. She didn't understand much of what he'd said. But then she was kind of confused by a lot, like why the people in the pub had been so shocked and happy to meet her.

She wasn't anything to talk about.

"What house do you think you'll be in?" he asked. "I know I'm going to be in Slytherin, my whole family has been."

He looked at her as if finally seeing her.

"I'm Draco," he said. "Draco Malfoy."

She wasn't sure if that was meant to mean anything to her or not.

"I'm Mel..." she never got to finish though as Draco looked past her and pointed.

"Why I say, look at that!" he exclaimed. "He must be some sort of beast or savage."

Melinda's eyes narrowed.

"I think he's great," she said.

Draco's eyes looked at her in narrowed suspicion.

"Is he with you? Where are your parents?"

"Dead," she said coolly, trying not to glare.

She didn't want to make enemies on her first day in this new world.

"Oh, sorry." But he didn't sound very sorry.

"'Lin!" Hagrid called, knocking on the window.

Outside he held up two ice cream cones and she grinned.

She'd never eaten ice cream before, at least not the kind that wasn't an ice lolly and had been given to her because her relatives hadn't had much of a choice – like at the zoo a few weeks ago.

"You're done dear," the elderly witch said and Melinda smiled and hopped down.

"They were one of us though right?" Draco called out a moment later.

She turned back to him and with a mocking drawl she answered, "They were a witch and wizard, obviously."

Then she ran out the door, her long dark hair flying behind her.

Draco blinked. He was unsure what to make of the girl. Lin, was it? Or was her name Mel? She'd never clarified.

"Hey," he snapped as a needle pricked his ankle. "Watch where you're pocking that thing."

_He'd see her again,_ he decided.

Next Hagrid had taken her to get a wand, after all her books and supplies were gathered.

After explaining to Hagrid that she could barely read English because of having what muggles called, Dyslexia, they'd been able to get the owner to translate the books into Ancient Greek which was the only language she knew fluently.

Though she did know a little Latin as well, she couldn't read or write it fluently enough.

Thankfully she could learn the spell to switch assignments written in Ancient Greek to English easily enough. The Owner had even given her a book which had the spell needed inside.

She'd have to attempt English until she learned it or have an older student preform the spell until she learned it proficiently.

"Olivanders," Hagrid announced. "No place better for buying yer wand. Now, run along and I'll meet you there. There's just one thing I have to do before."

Melinda didn't argue and with a little hesitance she entered the shop.

Thankfully she was the only one present, though a girl with bucked teeth was chatting happily with her parents as she exited and she entered.

Their eyes met for a split second and Melinda felt a connection with the brown eyed girl.

"Ah..Ms. Potter," Olivander said, his eyes, so silver they seemed nearly white.

Creepy, Melinda decided.

He gazed at her though, and she felt like he was dissecting her aura or something. His eyes seemed to widen.

"I've wondered when you'd arrive," Mr. Olivander spoke. "Though I never dreamed you'd be one of them. So fascinating, it's no wonder he couldn't kill you."

Melinda felt kind of sick, what did he mean?

"One of who?" she asked.

"Well, one of us my dear girl," he said, chuckling. "Oh, this calls for special equipment."

She wasn't sure to be worried or excited. Needless to say it wasn't as ominous as it sounded and he returned with wands for her to try.

"I remember when your parents came in for wands," he said.

"Your mother in particular, but of course her wand need not have been so...different. Being distant enough relation as she was, but it was still unique and powerful in its own right. Yes, Willow, and drakon heartstring, 10". Though if anyone asks, it was dragon heartstring."

She looked on confused.

"What's the difference?" she asked as she took a ivory colored wand in hand.

"Oh darling girl, one day you will be able to answer that question yourself," he said, shaking his head. "But there is a difference, never doubt that."

Nearly ten minutes and thirty wands later Melinda was ready to give up. Only one wand had given even a hint of working and it still wasn't right. It felt as if it was fighting against her.

Mr. Olivander hmm'd, rubbing his chin as he held the Holly and Phoenix feather wand in hand.

"I see."

"See what, sir?" she asked, worried that maybe Hagrid had been wrong.

"I've sold a lot of wand Ms. Potter, and I recall every one I sold. This one just happens to be the brother to the wand that gave you that scar," he said, pushing aside her bangs with the holly wand.

Melinda gulped.

"Yes, but I fear it is not complete, not for you anyways," he said. "Come here and run your hand through these selections of cores. The one that connects to you the best show me."

Melinda looked at the sectioned box of odd things, hair, claws, teeth, scales. Even powders, gems and horns. After a moment she did as asked, it only took her a few seconds to find the one that called to her most.

It was a little shining red hair. Like it was brought from the water and it was tented with said water as well.

Olivander chortled and left for about five minutes. When he returned he had a wand in hand, the same wand but it seemed to have a more elaborate handle, almost wave like and seemed to shine with the same blue tent as the hair had.

She took it in hand and waved it.

Olivander grinned, clapping as the strange melody seemed to spread around them and a fine mist of sea water erupted like a mirage.

"Bravo, bravo!" he cried. "I expect great things from you Melinda Potter, I think I can safely say the Fates do as well."

"Holly, and Phoenix feather woven with a single hair from a Nereid, 11 inches."

A few seconds later Olivander watched as Melinda Potter left his shop. He knew instantly the girl had a hard life ahead of her.

_I pray for her sanity through it all Mother Hecate and great-great-great-great grandmother Nemesis. May the gods protect her, daughter of Poseidon._ He thought with a shake of his head.


	4. The Years Before: Year One II

**AN: Another chapter. I want to thank everyone for the reviews so far, though I hope to get more as the story goes on. **

**I really like hearing what you all think and my muse lives on your reviews. The more I get the more my muse works. **

**On another note we're almost done with first year. You can see things are really becoming different now. I hope you all like this chapter, and will enjoy the next.**

**Anyways, R&R!**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 4: The Years Before: Year One II. **

Voldemort.

The name seemed to sit on her mind like a bolder. Hagrid had told her before he'd returned her to her relatives home how her parents had really died.

A wizard, dark as they could go who killed all those who stood against him. Join or die. To Melinda he sounded like an over grown bully.

It was him who her wand was brother to, and whose magic had inflicted her strange scar. She'd always liked her scar in one way or another, it was something just hers, her relatives couldn't take it from her.

Now she didn't know what to think of it. Then there was what Olivander had said.

One of us, but he didn't seem to be talking of wizards and witches. And her wand, Phoenix feather and Nereid hair – she'd looked it up once home and found in one of her mythology books.

Nereid's were basically sea nymphs and it was said they were part of Neptune or Poseidon's court. It showed pictures, but she didn't think they were very realistic.

She spent the rest of the week reading her books, even the ones she'd gotten special because she wanted to read ahead in Potions, and going over her mythology for the millionth time.

There was still something she was missing.

"Girl," Aunt Petunia snapped from her doorway.

Melinda hadn't even heard her aunt enter.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia?" Melinda asked in a disciplined manner.

She'd been drilled on how to always talk to her relatives since she was a child, and as they say old habits die hard.

"When you were dropped on us like a sack of potatoes a trunk was left as well. I don't know who left it, but from what I could tell it must have been one of her lot since it had her name on it."

Melinda looked at her aunt strangely and Petunia glared, turning and heaving a trunk similar to the one Hagrid had gotten her, but green and gold.

"It was your mothers, I don't want to ever see it again," Petunia said and she stalked out, shutting the door loudly behind her.

Melinda gaped at the trunk in her room before getting up and walking over to the moderately expensive trunk. Close to the latch she could make out initials. L.M.E.

So her mothers middle name started with a M? She grinned and sank to her knees in front of it.

It only took her two minutes to figure out how to open the trunk and inside she was surprised to find books that looked like diaries, journals that looked more research and work related then personal, photos and a jewelry box.

There was also a pouch which seemed to be filled with things and on a piece a paper stuck to said bag was written, Property of the Marauders. Approach with extreme caution.

At the main bottom she found a baby book, strange since she didn't know she had one. But then, why would she have one, her parents had died when she was just one.

She decided to flip through it first.

The first page was a picture of her mother who she could recognize easily enough from features she saw when she looked in the mirror.

The woman was young, maybe twenty and had long wavy dark red hair, that seemed like it was on fire in the sunlight. Her eyes were bright, like Melinda's but were a slightly different shade.

More emerald then her own mix of emeralds and sea green.

The man beside her was grinning, his hand on her mother's stomach and had wire frame glasses on his face. His skin was tanner then her mothers ivory but was still shades lighter then Melinda herself.

He had aristocratic features, a sharpness Melinda had but was completely different at the same time. This man had a crooked grin and was handsome with unruly jet black hair, and hazel eyes.

Over all she looked practically nothing like James Potter.

She could see where Hagrid was confused though. Her dark brown hair – lighter in places – could have come from James and her sharpness could easily be mistaken for him to those who'd not known him very well, or hadn't seen him in ten years.

But did that mean James Potter wasn't her father?

Turning the page in the book she found a sonogram with an inscription. Babies first picture – even if James doesn't understand these muggle things.

She tilted her head, was that supposed to be her?

Shaking her head she turned to another page which showed Lily knitting something, a baby blanket maybe which seemed to have some sort of symbol on it and was sea green.

She looked around five months along. The next page showed Lily again, and she had her shirt lifted, showing off a very pregnant belly.

She must have been close to giving birth, Melinda thought.

The next page was her mother in a white gown and in a bed, her hair sticky with sweat and a baby who could only be herself in her arms. James stood beside her grinning.

The next page was probably only a week or two later and she stood in her parents arms, but what shocked her was the man slightly behind them, looking down at her baby self with a grin that even out shown James Potter.

A warm glow shot through Melinda as she recognized the man and finally realized something.

Mr. Poseidon was most likely not human, possibly with more connection to Greek Mythology then she once thought and James Potter was not her father.

Mr. Poseidon was.

The book only have five more pictures, all of her, Lily, James and Poseidon. There was actually one which was only her and Poseidon. He was sitting on the floor with his arms held out and she tried to walk to him.

Placing the book back in the trunk she was caught by a sea green fabric. Pulling it loose from where it was under a bunch of books she gasped.

Holding it out she knew this was the blanket Lily had been knitting in that picture. On the front was a deeper green trident and intertwined in it was a deep purple upturned crescent moon.

Now all she needed to do was see if she could figure out a way to find Mr. Poseidon. She knew he had all her answers.

_HOOT!_

Melinda turned to her snowy owl and smiled. "Yeah Hedwig, I know."

It was almost time for bed.

**xXx**

Melinda had never wanted to make her aunt and uncle pay more then now.

What if she missed the train, she had thought. What if she wasn't magical enough to get through?

She was sure that was stupid of her though.

After embarrassment from asking a muggle – Hagrid had said that was a non-magical person – where the platform was, Melinda was about to give up hope.

Thankfully her saving grace came with a herd of redheads. A pair of twins, two other boys, a plump motherly woman and a little girl who was possibly a year younger than herself.

"How to get onto the platform, of course deary. It's Ron's first year and Ginny will be starting next year."

The woman seemed very proud of this and Melinda watched as Percy – a name that reminded her of what Mr. Poseidon had told her about his son a year ago, Perseus – walked through the wall and then Ron.

Finally it was her turn and with one last glance towards the woman and her daughter, Ginny, she took off at a run for the barrier.

"Wow," Melinda gasped as she came out the other side.

With a look of awe she stared at the scarlet train before moving forward a moment later.

It took help from the pair of twins she'd seen with the woman, Fred and George, they said their names were, to get her trunk onto the train.

She'd decided to take a few of her mother's things with her to Hogwarts. The Jewelry box, the pouch which belonged to the Marauders, a few of her journals and diaries and the baby book along with her baby blanket.

It made her feel better to have them close.

"Well," Fred began, grinning. "We will -"

"See you around -" George took over, a similar grin on his face.

"Fair lady," they finished together and she could keep the blush off her face as she ducked into the train for a compartment.

Ten minutes into the ride the compartment door slid open and a lanky redhead boy with a big nose and blue eyes stood there with a lumpy boy with brown hair and green eyes that were more like a light hazel-grass color.

"Umm, is this compartment full?" the lumpy boy asked and Melinda blinked.

"What Neville means to say is can we sit here?" the redhead asked and she recognized him as the boy from the Weasley – she was sure that was the last name Fred and George used – clan.

Melinda smiled and nodded.

"Sure, there's plenty of room."

The two boys entered and the redhead boy sat across from her while the other boy sat beside her.

She bit her lip as she noticed the rat he had with him. She hated rats.

Neville seemed to have a toad with him, but at least she didn't have much problem with toads.

"Hi, I'm Ron Weasley," the redhead introduced. "And this is my pet rat, Scabbers. He doesn't do much, he's been in my family for ten years."

Melinda blinked.

"I don't think vermin...uh I mean rats live that long," she said, glaring slightly at the rat in the boys lap.

"Huh?" Ron blinked and she flushed slightly in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, that was rude. I just...don't like rats much."

Ron nodded.

"Oh, sorry. I wish I had a cage for him, but...well."

Melinda could only guess his family wasn't well off from the hand me down look of his robes and the wand which looked to have seen better days.

"It's alright, just try to keep it on that side of the compartment," she said and Ron nodded.

"I'm...Nev-Nevile Longbottom," the other boy stuttered slightly.

She smiled.

"Hello, I'm Melinda. Melinda Potter," she said and both boys gaped at her.

She instantly regretted giving out her full name. She'd forgotten she was some hero to them, the Girl-Who-Lived.

Personally she thought the name was offensive. It was like saying, you lived while your parents – even if she had a hunch James was only her adopted father – died.

"Really?" Neville asked, but unlike Ron his eyes didn't flicker to where her scar lay under her bangs.

"Do," Ron began, looking at her. "Do you really have the...the scar?"

Melinda nodded, and after a moment of hesitation she pulled her bangs aside so her scar was visible.

"Blimey, it really does look like a lightning bolt," Ron said.

"Do you re-remember anything?" Neville asked, but he looked down soon after as if he was ashamed of himself.

Melinda smiled, shaking her head.

"Not really, I remember green light but that's all."

"Hello deary, anything off the trolly?" The trio looked towards the trolly lady and Ron sighed.

"None for me, I'm set," he said, pulling out wrapped sandwich.

It didn't look all that bad, Melinda thought, but than again.

Neville was equally as sully.

"I've got no money."

Melinda bit her lip and stood, pulling out a hand full of gold from a green pouch she'd found in her mother's trunk which she knew was a money pouch since there had been a few galleons inside already.

"The lot please," Melinda said and the lady's eyes widened but she nodded.

About two minutes later the compartment was filled with candies and even some bottles of what Ron and Neville called butterbeer.

"So, Neville, what house do you want to be in?" Melinda asked as she swallowed some of the chocolate frog.

She thought she might have found her new favorite chocolate.

Neville seemed to nearly choke on a licorice wand.

"Umm, I don't know. My dad was in Gryffindor but my mum..she was a Hufflepuff. My gran was a Gryffindor as well. I'll probably be a Hufflepuff, I'm not very good with bravery."

Melinda frowned.

"I doubt that Neville, you just need the right push. Everyone's scared of something at some point in their life."

Ron looked pensive, which sort of seemed like hard work. She then berated herself, that was rude of her. He was probably smarter then he looked at first glance and she really wanted friends here.

She didn't think she could handle being the outcast here as well.

"Well, I know I'll be in Gryffindor," Ron announced and for a moment she thought it might be Draco, the boy from the robe shop, but while the two seemed to share an arrogant type of confidence they looked nothing alike. Nor did they sound much alike. "My whole family has been. I think my mother would pitch a fit if I wasn't in Gryffindor and imagine if I was put in Slytherin."

Neville looked down as if not sure what to say to that and Melinda frowned. She'd read Hogwarts a History, she didn't see anything wrong with any of the houses.

"I don't see what's so wrong with that house. It just seems to favor people who are sneaky and don't mind playing dirty."

Ron looked at her as if she'd slapped his mother.

"It's a breeding ground for dark wizards Mel." She let it him use her nickname, or one of them. She would only ever allow a few people to call her Lin. "You-Know-Who was in Slytherin."

"Voldemort was a student here?" she asked, surprised.

So he hadn't always been a murdering monster? Could there be more to Lord Voldemort than met the eye?

They both practically jumped out of their skin, staring at her as if she was the second coming of Voldemort himself.

"You...you said his name," Ron gasped out.

She blinked and shrugged.

"Of course, it's just a name. It's probably not even his real name, I can't see any mother calling their son Lord Voldemort."

"Mother?" Neville choked and Melinda stared at them as if they had two heads.

People couldn't possibly believe... she sighed. Some people were just so strange.

"Well you didn't think he sprouted from a basilisk egg did you?" she asked, even though she knew Basilisk didn't lay eggs.

That was beside the point though. She blanched at their looks.

"You did didn't you?"

The two boys flushed in embarrassment and she rolled her eyes.

"Just think of it like this. Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

She wasn't sure if that was the way that saying went but it would have to do.

"Just...try not to say it a whole lot," Ron said, gulping.

She realized they both must have been raised on stories and had learned to fear Voldemort like muggle children feared the boogeyman.

"Sure," she said.

She learned in the next few minutes that both boys were Purebloods, old families like her father's. But unlike Neville, Ron's family were considered blood traitors and had lost their wealth two generations ago.

She learned that Neville lived with his grandmother, but she didn't ask why.

Ron was one of six other siblings. Five older brothers and one younger sister. Melinda thought that was lovely, she'd always wanted a sibling growing up.

And a family that wasn't like her relatives, and she used to tell herself when she was young she'd grow up and leave the wretched hell of Privet Drive and marry and have plenty of her own children.

Her plans hadn't changed completely, she still wanted those things one day.

When they asked about her relatives she didn't sugar coat it, she calmly told them that they were the most horrid of muggles. That there was a mutual hate between them.

This seemed to surprise the two boys and led to a question about what she thought of other muggles. She laughed then, she had no problem with other muggles, just her relatives.

As they got closer to Hogwarts the compartment door was slid open again.

"Hello, sorry to bother you but have you seen a kitten?" a bushy haired girl, with bucked teeth and brown eyes, said. Melinda's eyes instantly lit up, this was the girl from the wand shop! "An older girl, Katie's lost one."

"No," Ron said, rather rudely in Melinda's opinion.

Neville just shook his head.

"Are you doing magic by chance?" the girl asked as she entered. "I'm Hermione Granger, a first year as well. I'm very excited to be here, I'm a muggleborn, no one else in my family has been magical until now. I think this is all fascinating really, and my mother was all so happy for me. My father took some getting used to it but he came around, and of course I've read all my books and then some."

Melinda had to wonder if the girl, Hermione, had stopped to breathe at all.

"Umm..." Ron and Neville echoed and Melinda smiled.

"It's nice to meet you Hermione," she said. "I'm Melinda Potter."

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Really, I've read about you. You're in a lot of books, like the rise and fall of the dark arts."

"Am I?" she asked, though she already knew. "It all false I'm sure. I can't recall giving any interviews."

Hermione flushed a bit in embarrassment and then looked at them all.

"You should all change into your robes, I sure we'll be there soon. According to Katie, the train should be stopping soon."

Then she left.

"A bit of a know-it-all isn't she?" Ron inquired and then shook his head. "Let's hope, whatever house we're in she's not in it."

Melinda didn't exactly think that was fair or nice but didn't say anything. She'd learned when and how to pick her battles, this one she'd leave alone.

**xXx**

"I've heard on the train that Melinda Potter has come to Hogwarts," a drawling voice spoke from the side and Melinda turned.

The train had come to a stop nearly ten minutes ago and after that they'd met Hagrid who took them across the lake in old boats. She didn't have anything to fear at all, actually being that close to the water calmed her down some.

She was almost positive she saw a woman following the boat on her side, as if to keep watch. The woman seemed very familiar, with her red hair, but she couldn't see the woman's face.

The castle had been magnificent. Better than anywhere she'd ever been and the view from the lake they crossed was probably the best view one could get of the castle.

After that Hagrid had led them up to the great hall where a stern looking lady with a Scottish accent waited for them. She knew instantly this woman wasn't one to cross.

"The four houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin," she had said, looking at them with green/blue eyes. "They will be like your families – "

The speech had went on and had been very impressive. It seemed though that she had said it so often in the past that she could probably give it in her sleep.

After she'd left had been when the voice had drawled out his words, for everyone to hear. As she turned, she recognized him as Draco Malfoy, the boy from the robe shop.

She had to wonder why he wanted to seem so high and mighty. The two gargoyles at his side told her he probably didn't have friends but goons. She felt bad for him.

"So it is you," he said. "I should have realized, you already know my name and I know yours."

"Draco Malfoy, right?" she asked and he nodded, smirking smugly.

She knew Ron and Neville were on either side of her, watching this interaction and she thought she caught Hermione watching with concern.

"I know who you are," Ron snapped. "Your Lucius Malfoy's son, my father says he's one of the worst, bribed his way out of prison."

Draco glared at Ron and she to thought he might have gone too far.

"And I know who you are, red hair, freckles, you could only be a Weasley," he sneered.

"Why you.." Ron began pulling out his wand but Neville was quick enough to grab him before he could do anything.

"You'll find Melinda, that some families are better than others. Weasley for example is poorer than a werewolf, and a blood traitor to boot," he said and held out his hand. "I can help you figure all that out."

She looked at his and then to him.

She took it.

"I'm sure I can figure out the wrong sort for myself Draco, but thanks," she said. "Maybe in the future, after you've figured out what you think rather then what your father thinks, we can be friends."

Draco looked shocked and at the moment Professor McGonagall returned and led them into the hall.

"That was brilliant," Ron told her and she sighed. "Getting his hopes up like that."

"I wasn't getting his hopes up Ron," she said. "I was serious, if he can ever think for himself then maybe we can try to be friends. I don't think it's really his fault."

"He's a Malfoy," Ron hissed back and she sighed.

"And you're a Weasley, I couldn't care if he was Voldemort's son," she whispered back. "I'd like to be his friend someday."

Ron sighed but Neville smiled a little.

"I think it's nice Mel," he said and she smiled turning her attention back to the sorting.

By this time Hermione had gotten onto the stool. She had to admit a singing hat was not what she'd been expecting.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

There were rounds of applause, including her and Neville, though Ron groaned.

She sighed, those two might not ever get along but part of her wanted to befriend Hermione. Despite her bossy know-it-all attitude.

There were a few more and then finally Neville was called up. She patted her new friend on the back and smiled.

"You can do it Nev, just believe in yourself."

She hadn't realized she was so deep with her advice until now, but with all the reading she'd done growing up – with nothing else to really do - she wasn't all that surprised.

The hat seemed to sit there forever but finally the seam opened.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Draco was soon after and not to her surprise it was only on his head for half a minute before yelling out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Despite the scene before, Melinda made a point of applauding the blond boy who caught her eyes as he went to sit between his bodyguards.

She smiled slightly, but this only seemed to confuse the boy. She barely noticed the strange looks she got from the head table.

Hagrid was waving at her, grinning. And other teachers didn't seem to notice her but they weren't looking she guessed.

There was an old man, who reminded her of father Christmas or time or maybe even Merlin himself. His eyes were blue and seemed to twinkle as his eyes locked on her.

The one who caught her attention though was a greasy looking man, who sort of reminded her of a bat in all black and pasty skin. He was looking at her in controlled surprise and looking from Draco to her.

She swore she saw a flash of pain in his eyes before he turned away.

Finally though, it was her turn.

"POTTER, MELINDA!"

She bit her lip and hesitantly moved up to the stool. She was aware of the looks she acquired. Soon though the hat was lowered onto her head.

_Hmm, an interesting mind my dear._

Melinda gasped, her eyes wide.

You talk, she thought and the hat seemed to chuckle.

_Of course I do, I am the sorting hat after all. Now let's see...oh you're not all you seem. Not even a Potter by blood I see. _

Melinda's eyes widened. How do you know that?

_It's here in your head, in your soul of course. You my dear are a demigod, daughter of Poseidon. You'll have to ask him for any more details than that. Or maybe even Mother Hecate, she could probably be thrilled to be summoned by her great-granddaughter._

Melinda was confused.

Poseidon, Hecate. Could this mean Mythology wasn't myth at all? That the gods really did exist?

_Of course, where did you think magic came from. We'd all be muggles or simple hats if not for Mother Hecate. Now moving on. You have a mind here dear, full of loyalty, cunning, and wit. Oh, a thirst for knowledge, but not for knowledge's sake I see. I suppose that rules out Ravenclaw. _

Melinda was confused but decided just to listen to the hat. He had been doing this for a long time after all.

_And you're loyal, yes indeed. Hufflepuff would be a nice fit, but I don't know if they could handle your upbeat personality. With all this cunning and wit I think you'd scare the poor badgers to death. So that leaves only two? _

Gryffindor, Melinda thought.

_Gryffindor you say, but I disagree. Oh, you're brave my dear, and with that loyalty you'd go far in the lions den, but I can't say it is where you belong. I can see inside your mind after all, you are cunning, witty, and willing to do just about anything to reach a goal. You also have a thirst to prove yourself, to be powerful. Slytherin would help you be great, no doubt about that. _

Maybe your right, Melinda said. But if Slytherin is the place for me wouldn't it be even more Slytherin of me to not be placed with the other snakes?

_What do you mean?_

People will not expect the Girl-Who-Lived to be in Slytherin, they'd probably start a panic. Fearful of a new Dark Lord...er Lady as it may be. Of course we both know I have no wish to be a Dark Lady, or evil but they wouldn't. Wouldn't it be just so very Slytherin of me to surprise everyone and go unnoticed that much more in a house they expect their hero to go too?

_I see, Salazar would have been most impressed. Are you sure though? _

I'm sure, Melinda thought and the Hat's words echoed out a moment later.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Melinda knew she'd made the right choice as the hall broke out into loud cheers.

The hat was removed and with one last look behind her, she darted off to sit between Ron and Neville. Hermione ironically across from her with two other first years she learned were named Dean and Seamus.

As the feast continued Melinda couldn't help but feel happy for the first time since she'd met Mr. Poseidon. Who she had a hunch was actually the Greek god of the sea...and her father.

She'd have to figure out a way to find this all out, the hat had suggested contacting Mother Hecate, and if his words were right it seemed the goddess had been the one to create this magical world, somehow.

Not to mention she was supposedly her great-grandmother as well, that had to mean her mother was Hecate's granddaughter since if her father was Poseidon there would be no other way.

Melinda shook her head though and for the rest of the feast – sans the sudden pain in her scar she got when she looked up towards Professor Snape and Quirrell – she didn't think of much.

She had plenty of time to figure this out.


	5. The Years Before: Year One III

**AN: Okay, here it is. The last part to year one. It took so long because it's really long, it's length even shocked me for a moment. **

**But I am very proud of this chapter. I want to let everyone know that at the bottom of the chapter is a AN with information that you may want to know for this story. It's very important, so please read it.**

**Also, in this chapter we get to see Melinda come out of her shell a little. **

**We get to notice that she'd almost a completely different person away from the Dursley's, that she's her parents daughter. **

**A lot like what I think Lily might have been like but with Poseidon's...edge. A lot is reveled this chapter.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and please tell me what you think since I tried really hard to keep year one similar to the books and movie yet at the same time very different. As is plainly seen when year one began.**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 4: The Years Before: Year One III. **

The first week at Hogwarts was both pragmatic and strange for Melinda.

She'd never been to a place where things were so, magical for lack of less cliché word. She'd never been a part of something real.

School in the muggle world was so different yet so similar.

While things were actually rather droll and repetitive it seemed so much more interesting because it was just so unbelievable.

Who could believe that magic was real? That she, Melinda Potter was a witch.

To here the hat tell it, she was more than just a witch. She was a demigod, if she remembered her mythology right demigods were what those born of a godly parent and mortal parent were called.

She went over the conversation she'd had with Poseidon all night before bed. She realized when he'd told her about her Pearl that he wasn't joking.

It must have been from Atlantis, because she was pretty sure if the place was real and if the Little Mermaid was anything to go on, that this was the underwater kingdom her father – something she felt excited about and sort of bitter at the same time – ruled over.

She would have to visit the library when she got time, maybe there was a book on them or Hecate. She had a feeling she would have an easier time contacting the Mother of the Wizarding World.

The first night she'd slept pretty well. She shared a room with three other girls, one being Hermione Granger.

The other two didn't really seem like people she'd be close friends with. Gossip queens if she'd ever met one. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patel, she thought their names were.

The only fall out was a strange dream she had. She seemed to recall that it had to do with Quirrell and Snape, along with Draco.

She knew the setting was some dark place and she recalled hearing a voice telling her that she needed to transfer to Slytherin because it was her destiny.

To bad for the dream, Melinda believed she could create her own destiny.

When she woke the next morning she could barely recall more than a green flash of light.

"There she is."

"The girl with the green eyes?"

"Between the pudgy boy and redhead."

Melinda was tired of the stares and whispered words – and lets be serious they sucked at whispering because she could hear them from across a room if she tried.

But at least classes brought some semblance of normal. She realized pretty early on at breakfast that the school was kind of divided.

No one sat with friends from different houses and actually she saw very few from different houses converse between or during classes. Another low point was that she got lost, a lot.

The castle was just so big and more than once she, Ron and Neville had nearly found themselves close to entering the forbidden third floor corridor.

Finally though she was able to get them to Transfiguration.

She had to admit the class was interesting. Though coming in late on the first day probably didn't earn them points with McGonagall.

The woman was as strict as she'd first thought and Melinda knew that if she did something that would tick the woman off in the future – strictly speaking that something being against the rules – then she needed to make sure not to be caught.

This woman wasn't someone you wanted to cross.

"Sorry, we got lost," Melinda has said, breathing hard as she stared at the professor in shock.

Had she really just seen the woman turn from a very pretty tabby cat into a human? She wondered if she would ever get used to not being surprised by things.

"I see," Professor McGonagall said, looking at them sternly. "See that it doesn't happen again Ms. Potter. Or do I need to find you a pocket watch, perhaps a map?"

Melinda bit her tongue, she thought that was a bit much. It wasn't as if they would know exactly how to get places. This was their first year.

"Take your seats Ms. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Weasley."

They did so without hesitation and the class commenced. She had to agree that Transfiguration was one of the more interesting subjects, though she didn't seem to have the talent for it that others seemed to.

Hermione, who sat beside her, and on her other side was Ron. Neville was sitting behind them, beside some boys she wasn't sure of.

By the end of class Melinda had managed to turn her matchstick into a needle but it was barely shinny and not exactly sharp. But Professor McGonagall still congratulated her and gave her five points for a good effort.

It was then she decided that though she was strict, McGonagall was fair.

Charms was by far her favorite class so far. The Professor was Professor Flitwick who couldn't be entirely human because he had to stand on a stack of books just to see over his desk.

He started off with roll call and seemed very excited when he got to her name.

She was unsure if that was because of her parents or because of her fame. She was sure she'd prefer the former rather then the latter.

During class they mostly talked about what was expected this term and the first charm they would be performing, the levitation charm.

Wingardium Leviosa. She couldn't deny she couldn't wait until they got that far.

DADA, which she also looked forward to, turned out to be more of a joke than anything.

Professor Quirrell didn't teach much, mostly because he stuttered so badly. He spent a good portion of time talking about how he received his turban from an African Prince.

Truthfully, she wasn't ready to believe he'd been able to do much of anything to help anyone with the way he stuttered. Not to mention he smelled of garlic, very strong garlic.

Potions was a whole other matter. She had been looking forward to it all week, she'd made sure she had read up to a certain point, she was a first year she thought logically. Why would she need to know anything too advanced?

The moment Professor Snape had stormed in though she knew she wouldn't like the class as much as the subject itself.

The man had an aura around him that made the smaller people want to curl up in a fetal position and cry for their mommy.

He still wore all black, looking as if he needed a good shower but she thought it might be possible that it was the potions fumes which had damaged his hair and not enough proper care to avoid this.

His eyes were so dark they seemed black, and were like tunnels pulling you in. she found it hard to look away but thankfully considering she had ADHD she'd never been able to stare at something for too long.

On another high note, she'd gotten Fred and George to help her translate her assignments into English after she'd written them. She was also working on perfecting the spell to do so herself.

By the beginning of next week she'd have it down.

But that is beside the point. At first Melinda didn't think Snape liked her, but she soon realized it wasn't dislike, it was hate.

"Wands away," was the first words out of his mouth before launching into a speech about brewing glory and putting a stopper in death.

She wasn't sure if that was all possible, especially not the last, but she began writing it down, wanting to keep organized notes.

She barely noticed him beginning roll call.

"Melinda Potter," he drawled, his words being spaced oddly apart. "Hogwarts new celebrity."

"Mel," Ron hissed, elbowing her in the side.

She looked at him and then up at the Professor. She'd been so focused on writing what she'd heard that she hadn't listened to hear her name.

Snape was standing directly in front of her, or above as it may seem since he was so tall. He towered like a bat she realized.

"It seems some believe that they are too good to pay attention." He glanced down at her parchment and raised an eyebrow. "And wish to spend it drawing designs on their parchment. It seems Ms. Potter we have two conflicting opinions on what you should be doing."

Melinda blinked.

"I'm sorry sir, but I thought it would be best to take notes on what you said before."

Snape raised an eyebrow but she noticed how he seemed to try and focus on the spot above her eyes, to avoid looking directly into them after a moment.

"By drawing nonsense symbols?"

"It's not nonsense sir, it's Ancient Greek. It the only language I can write and read fluently."

"Preposterous," Snape sneered. "It seems Ms. Potter, that you are seeking attention to me. Tell me, what would happen if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Melinda stared at him in surprise.

"A sleeping potion, known as the drought of living death. But sir that's not first year – " Melinda didn't get to finish, and Snape's eyes seemed to become blacker.

"Don't question me Potter. Where would you find a beazor, if asked?"

Melinda's brow furrowed but she could honestly say she had no idea.

"Uh..I don't know sir."

This time she didn't try to point out he was being unfair. She knew these couldn't be first year questions. She also had to try and keep her temper under check.

Last time she'd lost it she'd caused the ground to shake and throw Dudley and his goons off their feet. And the time before that at the beach, well let's just say Dudley didn't like swimming anymore.

"It seems someone thought they need not open a book over the summer," Snape said, but before she or anyone else could say anything he continued. "And what dare I ask, is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"

Melinda's eyes lit up. She did know that.

"There isn't one sir, they're the same thing. Also known as aconite."

"I see, well for you information you would find a beazor in the stomach of a goat," he looked at the other students and narrowed his eyes. "Well, why aren't you writing this down?"

"Ms. Potter," Snape sneered once more a few seconds later.

She looked back up from her paper.

"Yes sir?"

"Do try to pay attention and take notes like the rest of your classmates."

She sighed.

"I am sir," she began. "I've told you already. I can't read or write English very well."

He didn't seem to believe her.

"And you can read and write Ancient Greek?"

"Yes sir, I've always been able to. And speak it."

"Twenty points from Gryffindor Potter, for telling outrageous lies to get out of classwork."

"Sir, she's not lying," Hermione spoke up.

"Yeah," Ron voiced. "We've seen her try to read English and my brothers preform the spell to translate her assignments into English for her."

"Silence!" Snape snapped. "I will not be taken as a foo – "

Melinda gritted her teeth as she interrupted him.

"Sir, I'm dyslexic."

She half expected him not to know what it was, she knew Professor Flitwick and McGonagall were unsure what that meant. If there had been any dyslexic students in the past then it was before their time or just so few that they'd forgotten.

Snape's eyes once again caught hers completely and she saw them soften for just a fraction of a few seconds. He then nodded.

"I see." Then he swept down the isle like an overgrown bat and didn't say much of anything towards her the rest of Potions.

That didn't mean Gryffindor had it easy though, by the end of class, Snape had taken nearly fifty points from them and managed to avoid giving them any points, not even the ones he'd taken from Melinda for telling the truth.

"He's terrible, like an overgrown grease spot," Ron ranted as they walked down to Hagrids after Potions.

That morning at breakfast she'd gotten a note from him, something Hedwig had seemed very smug and proud about delivering, inviting her and her friends to tea.

She jumped at the chance, she'd never been invited to anything before.

Neville was quiet beside her, but she had noticed him coming out of his shell a little over the weak. At least around them, he still wasn't all that comfortable around many others and lacked in confidence.

Snape hadn't helped that, she thought as they came to stop at Hagrids hut. Ron eagerly knocked on the door and a few seconds later it was opened to show Hagrid and a large barking black dog.

"Fang, get back!" Hagrids voice boomed at the dog and he welcomed the three of them inside.

"Ah, sorry 'bout that 'Lin," he said as they sat down.

She noticed Ron and Neville both seemed a little nervous.

"It's alright Hagrid," she said, smiling. "These are my friends. Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom."

Hagrid looked at them in recognition.

"Weasley ya say. Wouldn't happen to have twin brothers now would ya? I remember yer brother Charlie as well, great with the animals he was."

Ron nodded.

"Yeah, Fred and George, they're third years. Percy is a fifth year, and Charlie works in Romania with dragons."

Hagrid's eyes lit up with glee.

"Dragons, why I've always fancied owning a dragon. Marvelous creatures they be."

Hagrid then turned to Neville and he grinned.

"Why if it isn't little Neville Longbottom. I'm not surprised yer be friends with Lin 'ere. Why when yer were just a babe you and Lin used to have play dates together. I remember 'cause Alice and Lily were ones to let everyone know if their babies so much as had their first cough."

Melinda smiled, wishing she could remember that or even her mother. What she wouldn't give to have even on memory of her mother, a clear one, not just a blurry one of her singing a lullaby to her.

Neville blushed, looking down but she could see a similar look in his green eyes that were in her own.

Tea went pretty smoothly, and she learned a few things more than she had during classes.

For one thing Neville was born a day before her on the 30th of July.

Second, Gringotts had been broken into the same day she'd went to Diagon Alley, and her birthday, yet nothing was stolen because the vault had already been emptied.

Third, that vault was the same one Hagrid visited.

Fourth, Hagrid was very loyal, but wasn't too good with secrets.

This she filed away for a later date and finally, Hagrid's rock cakes were not healthy for your teeth.

**xXx**

"I've found you a seeker."

Melinda could barely believe the words that came out of Professor McGonagall's mouth.

It had all started with flying lessons.

She wasn't to sure she'd like it. She'd never really thought about it, and the thought of going to high made her shiver.

It was like something hardwired into her brain telling her that if she went past a certain point she'd come down in pieces rather than walking away.

Ron didn't seem to share her nervousness. He grew up in a magical family, he'd been on a broom before and had less chance of getting killed during the lesson.

Seamus and Dean were different matters, but than she didn't hang around them often.

She'd actually been sort of taking a step back from Ron and Neville as well so she could research how she was supposed to summon Hecate, as the sorting hat had hinted at.

She knew they were sort of worried but she wasn't ready to tell them her secrets yet.

On a lighter note, Neville had never ridden a broom in his life. But with the stories he told about his family she didn't blame him. With an uncle who dropped you out windows why chance getting on a broom?

Hermione, being a muggleborn, had never been on a broom either and was more nervous than even Melinda. It sort of comforted her that she wasn't the only one to never ride a broom before.

"After I blow my whistle, you will count to three and kick lightly, I can't stress this enough, lightly off the ground," Madam Hooch had said and to Melinda's horror Neville had acted on reflex and kicked off.

"Longbottom!" Madam Hooch called and everyone watched as Neville shot through the air in unsteady rhythm, unable to get control of the broom.

Finally the boy crashed onto the grass, and Melinda had to look away and wince at the sickening crack that could be heard.

He'd broken something, she realized.

She'd broken enough bones in the past to know it would hurt, and hurt even worse depending where the fracture was.

Her hand flew to her necklace on reflex but she knew from experience it just looked as if she was shocked and had placed a hand over her heart in terror.

Poseidon had said she could use it on others as well, but to be careful and only in emergencies.

She didn't think this counted as one of those, and while it may save her friend some pain she knew she had to control the urge to heal him herself. It would raise questions she couldn't or more like didn't want to answer.

So she kept quiet as Neville was taken to the infirmary. What she couldn't take was Draco's mocking of Neville. She knew he couldn't be all that bad if he would only act like himself instead of what his father had groomed him to be.

It still didn't mean she didn't take the bait and follow the brat – and that was exactly what he was acting like and she'd lived with Dudley for ten years and knew a brat when she saw one – into the air.

"Melinda!" Hermione called after her. "You'll get expelled, or worse injured. You don't know how to fly!"

Melinda ignored her sort-of friend as she hovered on the broom in front of Draco. She for once in her life felt free.

She had never flown before, part of her fearing the experience and while she didn't think she'd want to go higher than fifty or maybe a hundred – maybe two hundred if she was feeling brave – feet up, she really was enjoying herself.

It would be better if it were not for Draco's sneering face and refusal to give her Neville's remembrall.

"Give it here Draco," Melinda said coldly.

"Why should I?"

Melinda glared at the blond boy.

"You don't have anyone up here to protect you, if you don't give it back I'll break your broom."

To prove a point she pulled out her wand, something she rarely went anywhere without.

His pale eyes widened marginally before he glared, sneering.

"If you want it, you've got to catch it Potter!"

Then he threw it at the castle wall.

She gasped and shot forward, pushing the broom as fast as she could.

It almost seem like slow motion – possibly something to do with her ADHD she realized – that she reached out and caught the orb, coming to a stop in mid air, centimeters from the castle window with her back facing it.

She lowered herself to the ground and smiled at the cheers her actions had caused, but it was short lived when they all heard Professor McGonagall arrive, calling her name.

She was sure she was going to be expelled back to the Dursley's, it wouldn't be the first time. She'd went through a few primary schools, usually taking Dudley with her somehow.

She never knew how but the primary school she'd been going to when she'd met Poseidon had been her fourth and she'd made it over a year. A miracle for her, she thought.

She'd only been at Hogwarts a week though, she just couldn't get kicked out now.

Thankfully it didn't come to that, instead she was being put one the school Quidditch team as their seeker. She'd never played sports before but if it allowed her to fly more than she'd happily join the team.

"Having fun on your last night here Potter?" Draco asked as they left after dinner.

"What do you mean Draco?" Melinda asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why would it be my last night?"

Draco blinked, his smug look falling away.

"You mean...she didn't expel you?"

Ron smirked from her side.

"Who would expel Mel? She's the Girl-Who-Lived after all."

Melinda wanted to hit Ron over the head for that. It made her sound so snotty.

"Why don-don't you leave us alone, Malfoy," Neville said, his eyes narrowed at the Slytherin.

"I can't believe it, fine then," Draco snapped. "How about a duel, you and me. Tonight, in the Trophy room. Crabbe is my second, whose yours?"

"I am," Ron spoke up. "And Neville will make sure you don't cheat."

Draco sneered at them and then snapped, "At Midnight then." and turned and stormed off.

"What did you just agree to Ronald?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Ron winced.

"Mel, don't do that please. You sound like my mother."

Neville snorted.

"I thought she sounded like my gran."

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Well, whatever but we are not going."

Ron and Neville's eyes widened.

"We have too!" Ron exclaimed. "It's a wizards duel, and it'll put Draco in his place when you beat the snot out of him."

"I think Ron's right Mel, if you don't show he'll think we're cowards," Neville said.

Melinda shook her head.

"Don't you see what he's doing?" she asked and the two boys stared at her in confusion. "He's trying to trick us. He's not going to show up, he's going to tip off filch or one of the teachers and we'll get caught and possibly expelled. It's the oldest trick in the book."

"Yeah, the Slytherin book," Ron said, staring at her strangely.

"There is nothing wrong with thinking like a Slytherin, Ronald," she said as they came to the fat Ladies portrait. "Caput Draconis."

Melinda then turned to her two friends as they came to a stop in the common room.

"Look, we're not going and that's final. I can't get expelled guys, I've got no where but back to those Muggles to go. I'd like to stay as far away from them as I can for as long as I can." She nodded. "Now, I'm going to go finish my Charms homework, I suggest you do the same and forget what Draco told us."

She marched up the stairs to the girls dormitory but stopped half-way up.

"Oh, and remember. The new password comes into affect tonight, it's Pigs Snout."

Ron looked to Neville sighing.

"She's as mental as Granger at times, mate."

"She has a point though," Neville said and Ron frowned.

"Well, we should go anyways. Maybe we can get Mel to agree by midnight tonight."

With that the two boys went up to their own dormitory.

**xXx**

Melinda wished for nothing more than to be back in her dorm reading up on summoning spells and rituals.

She had broken through to a solution when Hermione had come running up the stairs speaking in a non-breathing fashion.

She'd only caught a few words, duel, midnight, Neville and Ron, but she knew what she meant instantly.

Now as she stood in the room of which seemed to house a dog which really needed a walk, she couldn't help but slap Ron and Neville both over the head.

"See, this is why we don't do stupid impulsive things," she snapped before they all turned and darted for the door.

According to her friends, she was the strangest Gryffindor they'd ever met.

She'd rolled her eyes as the three basically dragged her out to the trophy room and thought about possibly turning to them and snapping – _Apparently I'm just so Slytherin the hat let me infiltrate the lions den to lay low._

But she kept her mouth shut, she didn't think her friends were ready to realize just how much like a Slytherin she really was.

When they arrived in the Trophy room she was not surprised to see Draco wasn't anywhere in sight. She stood in the middle of the room while Ron, and Neville looked around for the blond boy.

Hermione sighed from beside Melinda, but was more smug than annoyed.

"You know I was in the middle of very important reading," she said. "And I think I remember telling you he wouldn't show up."

Ron grumbled and Neville looked down flushed.

"Fine, maybe you were right."

"Maybe?" Hermione snapped. "She was completely right. I mean it's pretty obvious, isn't it?"

Melinda nodded.

Then there was a sound, footsteps and a familiar voice.

"Sniff around my sweet. They have to be around here somewhere."

Mr. Filch, Melinda thought with wide eyes.

"Run!" she urged her friends and they all took off, unfortunately for Neville he was a bit of a klutz and managed to knock over a suit of amour or three.

This who running episode was what had landed her and her three friends in this mess. As simple as alohomora, she had said as they reached a locked door and Ron began to act like a drama queen in front of a firing squad.

Thankfully Hermione had realize what she meant, and before Melinda could use the spell Hermione had yanked her wand from her hand and used it to unlock the door.

"Next time I say we're not going," Melinda began as they leaned against the now closed to door to Hogwarts hell. "We. Are. Not. Going."

Ron and Neville nodded quickly, panting and Hermione huffed her agreement. After that they began to walk quickly and keeping out of sight back to the tower.

"Did you not see what he was standing on?" Hermione asked as they came to the fat ladies portrait.

"The floor?" Neville asked, hopefully.

"Sorry we didn't notice its feet, it had three heads you know," Ron said, annoyed.

Melinda sighed.

"It's a Cerberus, of course it has three heads," she said. "Pigs Snout."

"That thing actually has a name?" Ron asked and Hermione and Melinda both snorted.

"Of course, but that's its breed Ron," Melinda said. "Who knows what its name is."'

"Who cares," Neville said, surprising them a bit. He usually wasn't so forward.

"Anyways, it was standing on a trap door," said Hermione, shaking her head.

"But why?" Melinda asked, frowning.

"Who knows," Hermione said. "It has to be guarding something though."

"Well, that's obvious," Ron said sarcastically and Hermione glowered at the redhead.

"Obviously not to you," she said and then turned to walk to the stairs of the girls dorm. "Now, I'm going on to bed, before you get me and Mel killed, or worse expelled."

Melinda gave Hermione a strange look before shrugging. In her case it would be worse than death, the Dursley's were just that repulsive.

With one last look to her friends she followed Hermione to bed. She'd finish reading that book tomorrow, she decided.

Hermione didn't talk to Ron and Neville after that, nor did she talk to Melinda when she was with the two boys. Melinda was a bit put out, she'd wanted to try and get the two boys open to the idea of being friends with Hermione.

She knew Neville would be more open to the idea but Ron, well he and Hermione had proven to be like oil and water, they didn't mix very well.

But eventually the days she'd been at Hogwarts turned to weeks, and she had eventually read the rest of that book. Unfortunately it seemed the book she really needed was in the restricted section.

She couldn't get inside with permission and McGonagall wouldn't sign a form without a good reason. Flitwick was also hesitant, thinking it unwise for a first year to wonder that area.

She knew Snape would rather wear pink than do anything for her so that only left Bins and Quirrell.

Quirrell was a bust as well, he stuttered, smelled of garlic and didn't seem to think she was in any need of the advanced knowledge in that area of the library.

After five minutes she gave up, and went to force herself not to gag from the intense garlic smell and migraine being around him gave her.

Thankfully, Bins was a ghost and as such was easy enough to manipulate into signing the form. Much to her happiness.

By the night before Halloween arrived she was able to check out the book needed – after suspicious looks from the librarian – and safely in her dorm to read the heavy tomb.

She learned why it was so suspicious as well, it talked a lot about the old times, when there world was first being created and had several pieces of magic which were in languages no one could translate.

To her amusement she knew why, they were Greek spells.

There was also the fact this tomb was considered a borderline dark book, or what she learned was called the Dark Arts. Personally she thought it ridiculous to split magic into two categories.

Dark and Light her arse, magic was magic in her mind. It was all about intent and how you used it. She could just as easily kill someone with a levitation charm, an aguamenti – which she'd read about – or a very powerful tickling charm.

She decided it would work best to call Mother Hecate to her on Halloween night. It was a magical night for the goddess it seemed and for the supernatural itself. A day that the dead could almost escape the underworld, if the book was to be believed.

At the very least the dead could hear the living easier than any other day of the year.

The only problem would be finding a crossroads. She supposed the middle of an abandoned hallway with three ways to turn would have to do.

Finding one that wasn't being patrolled would be a problem... unless she used the third floor corridor.

This was all beside the point.

Charms class on Halloween wasn't as bad as it could have been. Truth be told Melinda wasn't fond of Halloween. The Dursley's didn't celebrate it thinking it abnormal – though that didn't stop Dudley from making his parents practically buy every candy under the moon as compensation.

The fact her parents had died on this day ten years ago didn't help her mood either. Maybe if she offered Hecate something she could see her parents...just for a second?

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron waved his arm like he was using a hammer.

Melinda was sure that any moment the feather would either become a very dangerous projectile or explode.

BOOM!

She flinched, looking beside her to Seamus with apprehension. Like Seamus' for instance.

"No, no, no," she heard Hermione snap. "Haven't you been paying attention Ron? You're saying the spell wrong, it Leviosa, not Leviosa."

Melinda had to wonder if the girl had even said them differently, because it really hadn't sounded to different to her.

"Well then you do it," Ron said, and Melinda sighed.

Even she knew that chances were Hermione could preform the charm.

"He does realize she'd going to make him look stupid," Neville began, looking at her from her other side. "Doesn't he?"

Melinda sighed.

"Sometimes I wonder if his brothers dropped him on his head as a baby," she said and Neville snorted, trying not to burst into laughter.

"Ah Ms. Granger, lovely spell work. See here everyone, Ms. Granger's done it!" Professor Flitwick looked so happy Melinda wondered if he'd begin floating away.

Her biggest concern though was Ron. He looked upset, like someone had killed Scabbers and spread the vermin's guts on his bed.

The way he glared at the smug girl next to him worried her even more.

Bad things tended to happen on Halloween, she had that same gut feeling she had just before Ripper had chased her up a tree when she was eight – or had she been nine?

"She's a nightmare, a bloody nightmare!" Ron grumbled loudly as Neville, Seamus, Dean and her walked from class. "It's Leviosa, not Leviosa. I don't know why she stays, it's no wonder she has no friends here."

Melinda frowned at the redhead, and those that sniggered at his words. Neville didn't seem to comfortable either she noticed.

"You shouldn't be so cruel Ronald," Melinda snapped just as a bushy haired girl pushed past them, and she was sure she head crying.

"I guess she heard you Ron," Neville spoke up.

Melinda sighed.

"I'm gonna go see if I can find her. When I do, you should really apologize to her."

Then she took off but Melinda didn't have any luck finding Hermione. Eventually she didn't have a choice but to give up and headed to take her bag to the dormitory.

Then she raced down to the Halloween Feast. Just because she hated Halloween didn't mean she couldn't enjoy the feast.

Well, as much as she could with her parents deaths hanging over her head like a bloody mistletoe – the strange analogy wasn't lost on her.

She never dreamed she'd find herself face to face with a twelve foot mountain troll – maybe it was bigger then that – hardly two hours later.

Neville had just finished telling her what Padma said about Hermione and she was ready to chew Ron out – said boy having been stuffing his face the entire time – when Professor Quirrell had run in.

Troll in the dungeon indeed and as everyone was rushed out to towards their common room she couldn't help but wonder when people began fainting forward and not backwards.

She was thankful she had recalled Hermione was missing and didn't know but staring up at the troll as he towered over them made her rethink everything she knew.

Where was that so called Gryffindor bravery the hat said she had when she needed it?

"Move!" she yelled and grabbed onto Ron's robe sleeve, jumping out of the way just in time before the club smashed her and Ron into blood smears.

Smashed to death by a trolls club, she was sure her relatives would have loved that. Sadly, there was no sarcasm in that statement.

"How are we going to fight a troll?" Ron breathed as they scrambled to their feet.

Neville had managed to get between the trolls legs when they'd distracted it to help Hermione. Both looked terrified from where Melinda stood. She didn't feel to much better.

"Well, we could do that smart thing and run," Melinda said, earning an eye roll from Ron who seemed used to her strange humor or suggestions. "Or we could distract it and figure it out as we go along."

Nearly five minutes later found the troll on the ground.

Melinda wasn't exactly sure how she did it. All she knew was that her friends were in danger and that made her angry.

She couldn't get enough power behind any spell she knew to hurt the big brute and the floor had become as slip as a water slide.

As she fell onto her butt once again, and tried to think of any spell to help Hermione, Ron and Neville who the troll had backed into a corner and was ready to smash, Melinda's ears began to ring.

Noticing the water swirling up her arm Melinda closed her eyes and thought of ice, and when her arm felt as if she'd stuck it in an ice bath, she opened her eyes and shot that up towards the Trolls back as her friends screamed.

To her great shock water left her and in mid air formed an icicle which shot right through the trolls back and out the front, shattering against the wall above her friends heads.

The Troll toppled dead to the ground.

"How...how did you – " Ron began.

"Do that?" Hermione finished, her eyes wide and the three moved to stand with a shocked Melinda.

"Uh...I don't know," she said and it was partially true.

She wasn't sure how she did it but she thought it had to do with either her magic or her father, or maybe both.

If she thought explaining to her friends was difficult, than she had no idea how hard it would be when McGonagall, Quirrell and Snape arrived.

How do you explain away a dead troll with a hole the size of a Bludger through it's chest.

Later that night, close to midnight Melinda grabbed her book and quickly and as quietly as she could made her way to the third floor corridor.

Thankfully she only had one close call with Filch but that was avoided easily enough.

Once she was able to find a place that resembled a crossroads close enough she found the middle and drew a symbol on the floor in chalk – thank the gods for years spent stealing food from her relatives.

It was a circle with crescent moons on either side, the symbol of Hecate from what the book said. After that she had to light two candles on either side of the moons, both black and sit in front of it.

She sighed as she laid the book out in front of her. Did she really want to do this?

If she wanted answers she did, she thought to herself. So with five minutes until midnight Melinda began chanting the Greek spell given.

She didn't know what to expect but when the candles suddenly went out and a flash of bright light came she knew she needed to close her eyes and look away.

When the light faded Melinda opened her eyes and turned to stare at the spot in front of her.

In the center of the symbol was a woman, slender yet curvy and only of average height. She had ivory skin and pretty features.

Probably not much older then her early twenties with long wavy dark red hair and large emerald eyes – she looked shockingly like Melinda's mother, but this woman's hair was even darker than her mother's.

On either side of the woman dressed in black robes was a she-dog and a polecat. In each hand were twin torches. The woman's eyes lit up when they saw her.

"Melinda Pearl Potter," Hecate – Melinda assumed – said, a smile growing. "It's about time darling."

With that the woman stepped out of the circle, her animals coming with her on either side and with a simple motion of her hands the torches disappeared.

"Mother Hecate?" Melinda asked, unsure and Hecate laughed, holding out a hand to her.

Melinda looked at it strangely for a moment before taking it. Hecate helped her up and looked at her like a dotting mother would their child after not seeing them for years and years.

"It's grams dear, there's no need to be too formal just between the two of us," she said, winking.

Melinda was confused but wasn't sure where to start.

"You've grown, you look like your mother, but I can see Poseidon in you as well. Ah, and nice work with that troll dear," she said.

"You saw that?" Melinda blushed and Hecate smirked.

"Of course, I see a lot in this world. I created it after all."

Hecate wrapped an arm around her great-granddaughters shoulders and began leading her down the corridor. Melinda was only half aware of the polecat striding beside her.

"Mot...uh...grams," Melinda began. "I'm sorry for summoning you if it was a bad time but I'm kind of confused."

Hecate snorted.

"And who wouldn't be! I told Poseidon he should have told you everything when he found you but no, he knows best. Pftt!"

She shook her head.

"Now darling as you know you're a witch and a demigod. You're mother was my granddaughter, Lily was a favorite of mine. I blessed her with magic at birth, I knew she'd be special but I never dreamed she'd be this special."

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked.

"Well, she had you didn't she, a child of Poseidon but with blood ties to me, one of the more unique goddesses. Older than even the Olympians, born of two Titans."

Melinda couldn't help but feel in awe of her great-grandmother and also highly amused. It looked like her Aunt Petunia wasn't as normal as she wished to be.

"I guess, but I'm really nothing special."

Hecate made a sound of outrage.

"Not special, my dear not every young witch or demigod can defeat a mountain troll. Or survive a killing curse, nor do all my legacies or children have my blessing or the ability of snake-speaking. No, that takes talent," she said stopping and turning to face her great-granddaughter.

"Now, I think you summoned me for more then this. What else is on your mind?"

Melinda sighed.

"Greeks myths, it's all real right? And the man who gave me my Pearl was really the god of the sea? My real father?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," Hecate said. "Melinda I know what you want to know. Why didn't your father take you away from your relatives?"

Melinda's head lowered and Hecate sighed.

"There are laws even for gods, and some of those laws are the most unfair to our children. Poseidon will have to explain everything to you, or most likely send one of his court to do it since he can't chance on the Olympians catching him, but I can tell you this. We are forbidden to raise our demigod children, as they are mortal they must be raised like one by their mortal parent. It was most tragic what befell your mother and James."

Melinda lowered her head.

"It was him, he's the one who caused the Dursley's to give me Dudley's second bedroom and change so much. Wasn't he?"

Hecate nodded.

"He did. I wanted to turn them into toad spawn or practice some of my more creative spells on them, but nooo." Hecate sighed, shaking her head. "Poseidon ruins all my fun."

"Do you know my father well?"

Hecate looked at Melinda and answered, "Well enough I suppose but we don't have a close relationship by any means. No, I'm a minor goddess and the Olympians, well they tend to forget just how powerful we can be. I guess you could say they're not exactly on my Christmas list right now."

Hecate stopped once more as they began getting closer to the end of the corridor. She turned to face Melinda with a small smile.

"Now darling, I do have a message for you from your father. Now listen closely, in exactly a week, as the sun rises go for a swim. You'll meet one of your father's Nereid's who will explain everything else to you. And also give you a means of protecting yourself before you can make it to Camp."

"Camp?" Melinda asked and Hecate blinked.

"Camp Half-Blood dear, sometimes I forget how little you really know," Hecate said. "It's for Greek demigods like you to train as to survive monster attacks."

Melinda's eyes widened.

"Monsters?"

Hecate sighed before closing her eyes and Melinda thought the goddess was chanting under her breath. A second later there was a black glow and then a heavy looking book was in Hecate's hands.

"A gift from me. I guess you could call it your very own grimoire," Hecate said, smiling and practically dropping the heavy tomb into her hands.

It was black and on the cover has the symbol of Hecate, the one most commonly thought of for her and the one she'd drawn on the floor to summon her.

"Inside are everything you'll need to know about being a demigod. Monsters, gods, famous demigods. Even a few nice spells which I think might come in handy one day. Also I recommend making friends and allies. Something stirs in this world Melinda, something that could mean the end of it and all my magical children," Hecate said seriously and Melinda nodded.

"I will...grams," Melinda said and Hecate nodded.

"Well then, I've got to get back to my duties before they notice I've gone off somewhere. Good Luck, Lin," Hecate said and Melinda knew she needed to look away, closing her eyes as the bright flash left the room.

Melinda couldn't exactly recall how she got to bed the next morning but she knew she felt more rested than she had in a while.

As for Hermione, she seemed to have recovered from her near death, and so had Ron and Neville it seemed.

Melinda was still sort of shocked that do-gooder Granger had lied to a teacher the night before but it brought the four first years together.

After that Halloween night they were practically inseparable.

As Hermione had said, There are some things you can't survive without becoming close friends. Fighting a mountain troll was one of them.

**xXx**

Melinda couldn't be sure what to believe.

On one hand, she hadn't been killed by a rogue Bludger. On the other someone had jinxed her broom and nearly killed her. Her friends were sure it was Snape, Melinda wasn't so sure.

Snape was a real piece of work, but he didn't seem to be the kind to attempt murder with so many watching faces. There had to be a better explanation. She just didn't know what it was.

"Can I sit here?" Melinda looked up startled, placing a hand over the grimoire Hecate had given her.

She was sure no one but her could read it, it was in Ancient Greek after all, but she acted on reflex.

The girl was her age, with sky blue eyes and a medium brown hair color. What surprised Melinda was the Slytherin tie and robes.

"Sure," Melinda said and the girl sat down. "But why would you want to sit with me?"

The girl shrugged.

"Well, It'll probably annoy Malfoy to the moon and back," she began. "And you don't seem as stuck up as other Slytherins make out. I'm Daphne Greengrass."

Melinda smiled.

"I'm Melinda Potter, but you knew that."

Hecate had told her to make friends and allies. Maybe Ron, Neville and Hermione wouldn't get on with many of her other friends but that didn't mean she couldn't have friends outside her three best friends, now did it?

Time sped by at that Halloween night, and eventually it was the morning she was to meet her father's Nereid.

She didn't have a swim suit but to her surprise when she'd dove on the dock on one side of the lake the cold lake neither froze her painfully nor did she seem to be getting wet.

"Wow," Melinda said, as she looked around.

It should have been blurry, hard to see everything but she saw it clearly. She was also glad she had been right about having never been taught to swim hindering her, and it was then it hit her.

She was breathing...underwater.

"Cool," she said, as she began swimming around the lake, taking careful precautions to stay away from the giant squid.

She didn't know if it would be ready to kill her or not but she didn't want to chance it.

To her surprise there were actually normal fish in the lake, and the fact she could swear she could understand the school of fish as they darted by nearly made her trip up as she swam.

She didn't know it was possible to trip in the water until she almost accomplished it.

_Melinda,_ a voice floated to her and she stopped short nearly five miles from where she'd jumped into the lake. She hadn't realized the Black lake was actually that big until now.

Floating in the water Melinda looked around her, her eyes widening at the figuring that appeared before her.

She was beautiful, her hair floating in the water like it was part of the water but it was a dark red, reminding Melinda of her mother's hair.

The woman's features were familiar and her eyes, they were a violet/blue, a color she'd seen before on before Hogwarts.

"You, you're a Nereid?" Melinda asked, surprised.

This was the assistant who'd always helped her at the library find books she could actually read. Once or twice the woman had even tried to help her understand English a little better.

So far the only thing she could actually read in English was her name, a few small words and of course she had learned to spell her name in English.

Though she much preferred Ancient Greek and the spell she'd finally gotten the hang of to translate it back to English.

She wondered if that could be considered lazy or cheating?

_Yes, your father trusted me with your birth. Though many Nereids are aware that you are part of the sea, they are unsure exactly how. I am one of the very few that know you are Lord Poseidon's daughter. _

"Oh," Melinda said and then bit her lip. "Hecate told me to be here, something about gifts. I have questions too, Hecate answered what she could but – "

_You are still young and confused. Hurt that your father never took you away from your mother's sister? _

The Nereid looked so sad, Melinda couldn't hold on to much of the anger she'd bottled up since she'd realized she wasn't James Potter's daughter.

_Believe me Melinda, your father loves you. He watches over you when he can, just as he does his other demigod children._

Melinda's eyes widened.

"I have siblings?"

The Nereid smiled. _Just one other like yourself. Perseus, I believe Lord Poseidon has told you about him._

Melinda frowned.

"But in the myths..."

The Nereid sighed.

_Yes, once upon a time my lord had many demigod children. But then a great prophecy was made, it foretold of a demigod born of one of the Big Three – Hades, Poseidon or Zeus – that would either save Olympus or destroy it. This was during WWII, you must understand and they made a vow to never have another mortal child again. _

Melinda's jaw dropped.

"A prophecy? About me or Perseus?"

The Nereid looked grim.

_It is unclear who it means. The one to reach sixteen against all odds, but I can tell no more of what I know on the prophecy. There was another who it could mean, a girl of Zeus' but Lord Poseidon hopes the Prophecy will not mean you. He very rarely has daughters you see. _

Melinda felt warmth at the fact her father seemed to care even if he couldn't be here himself.

She could understand why he had to be careful, if her uncles or the other Olympians found out about her...she might not be very safe anymore.

_Now, there isn't much time. I can't stay long in fresh water you see. Your father sends you two gifts, two weapons to protect yourself. _

Melinda watched as the woman pulled out two pieces of jewelry.

One was a golden cuff bracelet which was shaped like a golden starfish. Melinda couldn't help but smile at the connection to the sea but was confused. How was this a weapon?

The next item was a ring which a medium rainbow moonstone on a silver band which sort of had a wave like pattern.

"Jewelry?" Melinda asked, raising an eyebrow as she took the offered gifts.

The Nereid laughed.

_That is just their disguised form Melinda. The golden bracelet can turn into a shield as long as you will it. The ring is your weapon, it has two forms, a celestial bronze sword and a trident. The trident is it's base form I am told, the form Poseidon forged it in but Hecate... well she doesn't like to be out done. _

The Nereid smiled and continued.

_She enchanted it so it could turn from trident form into sword form at your mere wish. Both are also impossible to loose, if you drop them somewhere in battle or simply loose them they will appear back on your body in a few moments time. _

Melinda looked at the two weapons in her hand and closed her eyes for a split second and willed them to transform.

She felt the pieces of jewelry obey and when she opened her eyes she had a bronze Greek shield on her left arm, attacked exactly where the bracelet would be.

It was designed with an almost starfish in the center and between the star like spokes were Greek warriors. In the main center of the star like design was a golden serpent with emerald eyes which almost appeared to be slithering off the shield, like a 3D effect.

The trident in her right hand was amazing, about six feet tall, maybe a little shorter but it towered over her short 4'11 – she prayed to the gods she got taller before she hit maturity.

It was obviously tri-bladed like any trident and looked wicked sharp.

It had an etching design where the blade left the staff of the trident and in the center was a large moonstone which seemed to shine like both the moon and sea giving it an unique coloring.

Below the gem was a tinier brighter sea blue colored gem and there was two more on either side of the large gem.

The staff area was black, and she assumed made of some sort of metal, or iron. It looked almost like it came apart in the middle of the staff but she knew better.

It was just a hand grip if she needed one and there for decorative purposes, it also had three tiny gems like the ones on either side of the large moonstone.

Turning it over in her hand she willed it once again to change, this time into it's sword form.

It glowed like the sea during a storm and shrunk down in her hands to form a Greek sword which had a long shimmering blade which was about four feet long.

On the area above the hilt but before the blade were three tiny bright sea colored gems.

Further down on the golden hilt was a moonstone like the one of the trident. This one rested on the area below where she had her hand gripping the hilt.

Like a gem that would rest on the end of a wand – she'd seen them in Olivanders when she had been trying to find her own wand.

Both felt good in her hands, but the trident felt a little more natural. She would need to learn to fight with both though, encase she was ever in a battle where a trident would be more of a hindrance than a help.

"They're great," Melinda breathed.

The shield glowed and shrunk back to the starfish bracelet which now rested on her left wrist and the trident/sword glowed and returned to the form of a moonstone ring.

She was quick to place the ring on her right hand middle finger.

The Nereid smiled.

_Good, your father wants you to train in those weapons, and with your other powers as well. I am unsure the extent of your powers, but being the daughter of the sea god they could be many and vast. I believe it will come to you over time. I do know that the water is always at your command. _

_As for traits of Hecate, well your magic is obviously more powerful. And you bare the gift of Parseltongue, I believe the Wizards and Witches call it? The gift of serpent charming, a rare ability seen in Hecate's legacies. I am sorry to say I do not know what being a Legacy of Hecate will mean for your powers, but like before I assume they will come to you in time. _

Melinda felt overwhelmed, but also excited. For once in her life she felt as if she had a purpose. She wasn't a Freak, she was a demigod and a witch.

She actually had a family, and one day maybe she'd be able to meet that family, the younger brother her father had told her about when they'd met.

_You'll have to find names for them, or at least the ring. You're father has spent the last year having these forged for you, he decided you should name them. _

Melinda nodded, though she had no idea what she should name them right now. She'd have to think on it, maybe look some things up first.

_I'm sorry I must go now, but know I'll be watching as often as I can. _

As the woman turned to go Melinda called out, "It was you, the woman beside the boats as we came across the lake in September!"

The Nereid smiled. _It was, now goodbye Lin. _

Then she was gone and Melinda was left alone except for the water creatures around her.

**xXx**

Tachýs and Abyss.

Two simple names, and not hard to pronounce, well at least Abyss wasn't. Melinda had taken nearly a week to decide what to name her shield and trident – she'd figured since the rings base form had originally been simply a trident before Hecate had enchanted it that she would refer to it as a trident unless using it in sword form.

It was simpler that way and less confusing.

Tachýs was what she had decided for the ring. It meant 'swift' in Greek, and was the best sounding name she had come to find.

She'd went through what felt like a million alterations of sea based names before realizing it didn't have to be that obvious. The sea could be describes as swift and unrestrained, hence Tachýs.

As for her shield – which she'd learned was actually crafted on both Hecate and Poseidon's order and that was the reason the snake was depicted on the front.

Snakes were sacred to Hecate, one of the few goddesses to be fond of the serpent and the first. The others who were commonly identified with the snake were Athena and Hera.

But that isn't the point, the shield. Melinda had decided to name it in honor of her great-grandmother and after many variations and she'd settled on Abyss.

Once again a very simple name, and considering Hecate was associated with the Underworld a lot and some could describe parts of Hades as an Abyss she thought it was fitting.

Unfortunately she didn't get to research on her own after her meeting with the Nereid. Christmas was around the corner, and that meant many of the students were going home for holidays.

Melinda, and her friends had also unearthed what Hagrid had taken from the vault on Melinda's birthday. The Philosophers stone.

Melinda's would admit she found it fascinating. A stone that could render the drinker immortal – she'd done her homework on the stone and it was famous even in the muggle world.

"Are you certain?" Hermione asked, as she stood with her stuff ready to leave for home.

Neville stood with her, he was going home as well, she and Ron would be the only ones staying.

Melinda nodded.

"Yeah, I've heard about it in the muggle world, and it was on my first chocolate frog card. Nicolas Flamel, creator of the Philosophers stone."

"I didn't know the bloke was famous in the muggle world," Ron said, clearly taken by surprise.

"Damn," Melinda muttered under her breathe, ignoring Hermione's offended gasp. "I've lost again."

Ron smirked smugly.

"I've been playing Wizard's chess since I was five Mel, it's bound to happen."

"Modest," Melinda said dryly.

"Is she alright?" Hermione asked Ron and he and Neville shrugged.

"She's been grumpy since Christmas got close."

Melinda rolled her eyes at Neville's words.

"_She_ is right here you know."

The three first years looked at her as if waiting for something and she sighed.

"I just don't like Christmas very much. It's never exactly been...a good holiday at the muggles house."

Her three friends exchanged looks. They'd noticed she barely called her relatives by name or relatives.

Always, Privet Drive, or them, or the muggles. It was kind of unnerving to see how greatly she disliked her aunt, uncle and cousin.

But from what she'd shared they couldn't blame her. They sounded dreadful.

"Well, even so you'll look in the restricted section, won't you? Just find out more on Nicolas Flamel," Hermione said and Ron groaned.

Melinda nodded.

"Sure," she said, her attention on the now reset chess board.

Hermione sighed at her friends antics and turned to Neville.

"We should go, we don't want to miss the train."

Melinda was aware of the two leaving and a moment later she grinned.

"Ha!" she exclaimed. "I got one of them."

Ron chuckled. "You're a strange person Mellie."

Melinda twitched at the name but shrugged.

It wasn't the same when he said it, much better then when Dudley would mock her with the name.

**xXx**

Invisibility Cloaks, they were awesome.

Melinda had always thought it would be cool to be invisible.

But then what she wouldn't have given to be invisible when her Uncle Vernon would decide she needed to be taught a lesson or when Dudley and his gang would beat the tar out of her for existing to close to them.

Sneaking into the Restricted section hadn't been needed, she still had permission until after the Holidays from Professor Bins but it was more fun. The books were as she knew them to be, some were stained with what looked like blood while others had what appeared to be chains wrapped around them.

She made a mental note to stay away from the chained ones.

"Nicolas Flamel," she muttered under her breath as she trailed a finger along the spines of the books.

A lantern in her other hand.

Finally she came across a large tomb, on the spin was what appeared to be the beginning of famous sorcerers... but with it being in English it wasn't all that clear.

She decided it was her best bet. Grabbing it she sat the lantern on a nearby counter and opened it.

"Hmm," she whispered as her eyes winced at the harsh scripted English.

Pulling out her wand she tapped the book and muttered a spell under her breath. In a small flash the book was rewritten in Ancient Greek.

"That's better."

Flipping through the book Melinda stopped about half way through and smirked.

"Nicolas Flamel, the only known maker of the Philosophers stone. The stone is rumored as myth but seeing as Nicolas Flamel has recently celebrated his six-hundredth and sixty-fifth birthday. Supposedly born sometime in the thirteen hundreds in France where he began his work to seek gold and the Elixir of Life. Both made through the Philosophers stone, the latter of which turns the drinker immortal, never dying."

Melinda read with awe in her voice, she'd accepted that monsters, demigods and gods existed but it still amazed her that something like this could exist.

Looking at the page with contempt – as she knew the moment she tried to take the book past the gate of the Restricted section at this time of night alarms would go off – she bit her lip.

"What do you smell Mrs. Norris? A Student out of bed perhaps?"

Melinda's head snapped up. Filch, she thought with venom.

Thinking fast Melinda reached out and with all the strength she could muster tore the page on Nicolas Flamel from the book. Hermione, Ron and Neville would need to see it after all.

Hermione might beat her to death with a book for defiling a book but it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Slamming the book shut Melinda turned, throwing the hood of her cloak back on but knocking the lantern off in the process.

The sound of it shattering was louder then expected in the space, and she could hear the foot falls of Filch and Mrs. Norris.

Tucking the folded page into her pocket Melinda turned and went around, a book case just as Filch came around the corner.

She wasted no time leaving the library. Unfortunately for her she almost ran into Quirrell's back.

"You do not want me to as an enemy Quirrell," a voice hissed and Melinda stifled a gasp.

Snape, she thought as she edged around the two who stood in the middle of the corridor. She'd have to be careful, she was invisible but still solid.

She didn't listen to the conversation, especially once she saw Filch running towards them with her broken lantern. Instead she turned the corner and went for the first place she saw.

A door.

Shutting the door behind her Melinda leaned against it.

Looking around Melinda wasn't surprised by the dust, what surprised her was the mirror.

The Mirror of Erised, it read and for some reason she could read it, well sort of. The last word had looked more like desire then Erised, or maybe it was Desire?

Standing in front of the mirror though Melinda couldn't hold back a shocked gasped.

Instead of just seeing herself, Melinda saw not only herself but her family.

Her mother on her left, Poseidon on her right and James beside Lily, an arm around the redheads waist. All where behind her and grinning proudly.

Shocking her even more was the fact she wasn't eleven in the mirror, she looked closer to eighteen or nineteen.

"Mom, dad, James," Melinda said, her voice soft and small.

She continued to stare, and she didn't move until early in the morning.

Turns out she wasn't as sneaky as she thought. For the rest of the Holidays she kept returning to the mirror. And it seemed as if she was beginning to crave what the mirror showed her.

Why couldn't she have that. Why couldn't she bring them back, her dad was already alive that was true but why couldn't bring back her mother and James?

She was a demigod, and witch. Surely there was a way?

Her great-grandmother was a goddess of not only magic but crossroads, trivial knowledge, sorcery, witchcraft, and necromancy. One of the three goddesses of the moon.

Surely she could achieve this.

She might have even tried something stupid if the Headmaster hadn't found her sitting there again, staring into the mirror with longing. He explained to her what the mirror did, and warned her not to return.

It wasn't something easy, but she had managed it. It helped that the mirror had been moved. Otherwise the temptation might have been to much.

Turned out, Temptation was her fatal flaw.

It was kind of disappointing, she'd much rather have something a bit more easier to handle. Like envy or personal loyalty.

With a fatal flow like hers, she'd have to learn to say no. She couldn't but blame the muggles, maybe if they'd treated her like a niece she'd have learned to say no as easily as Dudley.

Than again, if that had happened she might have been the size of a killer whale.

**xXx**

"What was that?"

Melinda turned to the voice. Time had passed since the holidays, January ran into march, then April, and May.

It might have been even more normal if not for Fluffy, the Philosophers Stone, and her friends determination that Snape was trying to steal it.

She wasn't sure what to believe but she knew someone was trying to steal it.

In this time they'd learned Hagrid had won a dragon egg of a guy at a pub. That sort of sent warning bells off in her mind, but what could she do?

Jump up and declare that Hagrid had unknowingly consulted with the enemy. For all she knew it was just some drunk smuggler in the right place at the right time – where Hagrid was concerned anyways.

"You live in a wooden house Hagrid," Hermione said, again the voice of reason.

"She's right, this is a dragon." Neville looked at in nervous fear. "It'll grow fast and start breathing fire. Then it won't be so much a wooden house as an ash pit."

Melinda snorted, smirking in amusement.

Neville really had come out of his shell a bit, having friends tended to do that though. Ron wasn't as bitter at being over shadowed by his brothers.

Maybe because he'd finally been able to step out of it, he had helped take on a mountain troll and then there was this new adventure.

Hermione wasn't as strict about the rules as before, nor as know-it-all and bossy as when they first met. She still argued with Ron a fair bit though.

Those two would either date in the future and marry young, having two kids named something odd like Rosetta and Hugo, or Rose and Hugo. Or they'd date and break up within the year before killing each other.

She wasn't really to sure what she expected from that.

Neville of course was a bit more confident, his potions had even gotten better. He no longer blew up every potion, only like over other potion. He was still quiet and reserved though and seemed very loyal.

Melinda also noticed a change in herself. She was more open and...uh out spoken. A year ago she'd never have recognized herself.

In the end the conversation with Hagrid ended with the agreeing to smuggle the dragon out of the castle and to Ron's brother, Charlie.

It would have gone smoothly, except they forgot the cloak on the tower in the excitement. Melinda could have kicked her own ass for that.

And possibly Draco's as well considering the all to smug look on his face when he had turned up with McGonagall.

Two hundred house points poorer and becoming an outcast amongst the others of Gryffindor, Melinda found herself thinking of how to get her cloak back.

She didn't have to worry though, it was returned a week later on it's own – though she suspected the Headmaster – but that's another mater.

"That...that was Voldemort," Melinda said, messaging her scar.

During their detention into the Forbidden forest she and Draco had come across someone drinking unicorn blood and he'd of course run like a chicken.

Before she could get out Abyss or Tachýs she had fallen to her knees in pain. Her scar felt like it was bursting open, and sure enough Melinda could feel some blood on her fingers from the lightning bolt mark.

Thankfully a Centaur had saved her. Luckily a friendly one or she may have not walked out of the forest in one piece. Now she had been stopped by Draco on her way to the hospital wing on Hagrid's wish.

Draco's eyes widened.

"Vol-vold...You-know-who?"

Melinda rolled her green eyes at that stupid name.

"Sure, and he was doing You-Know-What with that Unicorn."

Draco flushed and snorted.

"You're cranky when your hurt aren't you?"

"I guess so. According to Ron I'm cranky all the time."

"Look, um...I'm sorry about the running away bit. And the duel, even though you didn't get in trouble I – "

He trailed off and Melinda smiled a little as they stopped in front of the infirmary.

"Well, that's progress at least," she said. "See you around Draco."

Then she opened the doors and entered, leaving Draco to stare at them until he shook his head and turned to head back to the Slytherin common rooms.

**xXx**

Voldemort was alive.

Well, as alive as a wraith spirit could get. When she had decided to go down the trapdoor to stop whoever was after the stone Melinda hadn't expected what was waiting for her.

Devils Snare, not her favorite plant in the world.

"Just great!" she exclaimed as she squirmed a little in the thick black plant.

Neville and Hermione seemed shocked but knowing. They knew exactly what this thing was. Ron was acting like a human windmill, trying to get loose but it was only wrapping around him faster.

"Stay still!" Hermione cried.

"This is Devil's snare, it'll strangle us to death if we keep moving," Neville said, and Ron yelled while Melinda twitched.

"Oh, that's easy for you to say. Stay calm, how can I stay calm when I'm being strangled to death!" Ron yelled and Melinda sighed.

"How do you kill it?" Melinda asked.

"Uh...oh how do we kill it?" Hermione muttered. "Neville?"

"Devils Snare..." Neville trailed off and then he grinned. "Sunlight. It hates the light."

"Then light a fire!" Ron cried as his mouth was covered by the plant.

Melinda was trying not to struggle, the plant firmly around her neck.

"How, there's no wood," Hermione said.

"Oh my gods," Melinda said. "You're a WITCH! Use your wand."

Hermione flushed and was able to pulled out her wand, Neville as well since he hadn't struggled near as much as only his lower body was restrained.

"Together," Neville said and they nodded.

Melinda was aware about three seconds after Ron's head was covered of the bright light which nearly blinded her and a shrieking sound and the plants seemed to vaporize.

The concrete floor below caught them, but not very gently.

Flying Keys.

Not exactly safe when they act like little bladed butterfly's.

She was sure she had multiple cuts by the time she found the right key, in the end she wished she knew the summoning charm. Unfortunately she wasn't powerful enough to get such an advanced spell to work yet.

Giant chess set.

Check. Mate.

It wasn't that easy though, only she, Hermione and Neville made it past. Ron sacrificed himself and Neville decided to stay back with Ron to make sure he wasn't too badly injured.

She thought about using her Pearl to heal him before going on but Ron had been adamant that there was no time to do anything but move on after he was taken.

Stupid fatal flaw, it had to be that which made it both hard and easy for her to leave without healing Ron.

Potions.

She at least had an 'E' in that class, much to Snape's displeasure.

She'd worked really hard to keep the grade above an 'A', and no matter how many house points she lost for breathing her grades had to be fair since she could complain to the board and they'd investigate his grading system and they both knew it.

It wasn't against the law for her to let her Slytherin side out every now and then, was it?

But that wasn't the same as having to solve a freakin' riddle and choose the vile that wasn't poison to get past the flames.

She was so tempted to see if her body which was much harder to burn being the daughter of the sea god could withstand magical flames like the one stonewalling her.

Best not to chance it she decided, and praise the gods for Hermione's intelligence otherwise she'd not have made it past the wall of flames but most likely consumed one of the poisons.

Melinda was just happy Snape hadn't done the Slytherin thing and filled them all with poison. She didn't know which poisons the Pearl healed and wasn't interesting in finding out the hard way.

Quirrell.

Oh, well she wasn't expecting that one.

"You?" she asked, but part of her wasn't all that surprised.

He did act strange and at Halloween. And he could have been the one jinxing her broom. He sat close to Snape and Hermione's flames had probably distracted him.

"Yes, me. I'm sure you expected it to be someone other than I. Who would suspect stu-stuttering Quirrell after all?" Quirrell said coldly, glaring at her.

"But the Quidditch game, Snape tried to kill me. Didn't he?" she asked, and Quirrell laughed coldly.

"Silly girl, I tried to kill you. I would have done so as well if it weren't for that meddling Mudblood friend of yours."

Melinda glared.

"Don't call her that!"

Quirrell ignored her, turning back to the mirror. Melinda listened to him ramble on, only half listening.

He was after the stone for his master, and she was sure that master was Voldemort. She couldn't let that happen.

Melinda reached for her ring, ready to slip it off but before she could a cold high voice interrupted.

"Use the girl," it hissed, and for some reason Melinda didn't like the sound of that.

"You, come here!" Quirrell yelled, pointing at her.

Melinda gritted her teeth but did as told, maybe if he couldn't get the stone she could.

As she looked into the mirror she was surrounded by her family, and her friends. No one would ever leave her. Her parents were alive again, her father was able to see her without fear.

She had made it past sixteen and nothing bad had happened. Even a boy stood beside her who she assumed was her brother, Perseus.

He was tanned like her, with similar features but also different. Probably from his own mother, and his hair was black like Poseidon's where as hers was lighter, dark brown.

His eyes were also sea green, lacking the emerald brightness she had inherited from her mother.

He looked around six or seven, and on the mischievous side.

She didn't have time to wonder why the image had changed, her reflection had gone from an adult to her elven year old self.

"What do you see?" Quirrell demanded.

Melinda looked at the image before her, wondering what to do next. She couldn't let him get the stone but she couldn't get to Tachýs with him breathing down her neck.

Which was kind of gross, had he never heard of personal space bubbles?

She was about to give him some fabricated story – since this was kind of personal, and having Professor Dumbledore aware was enough for her. Of course he didn't realize Poseidon was who she meant when she said 'dad', but she was allowed some secrets – when the mirror version of her brother smirked and pulled a stone from his pocket.

She gaped at it as her mirror self winked at her and turned to Perseus.

Reaching out her mirror self took the stone and slipped it into their own jean pocket. She was glad she wore baggy jeans – but than all her muggle clothes were baggy since they hadn't originally belong to her or were donated items and cheap.

"Tell me Potter, what do you see!"

Melinda snapped out of her thought and glared at the mirror, sure that Quirrell would be able to see it even if she wasn't looking at him.

"I see my friends, we've won the house cup."

"Get out of the way," he hissed, shoving her aside so suddenly she landed hard on her side.

Grunting, Melinda got to her feet and slowly tried to make her way back to the exit.

She'd have to see if those flames would be able to burn her after all, she didn't think water would help since it was magical flames.

"She lies, she lies."

Melinda's head jerked around at those words and she cursed under her breath in Greek.

"Let me speak to her," the voice said and Melinda was only half aware of Quirrell arguing before he turned to face the mirror and unwrapped his purple turban.

Melinda had to slap her hand over her mouth to stop from screaming. Staring back at her were two red eyes, snake like features.

There was another face on the back of Quirrell's head.

"Do you see what I have become Melinda? What you have forced me to become?"

"Voldemort," she gasped, stepping back closer to the wall of flames.

"Yes," the face hissed. "I am Lord Voldemort, reduced to living like vermin. Keeping myself alive by possessing living beings, Quirrell here has proved most useful in that area."

"Thank you my lord," Quirrell quivered.

"Shut up you fool," Voldemort hissed and if it weren't for the life and death situation Melinda might have found it funny.

"Now, give me the stone," he hissed and Melinda gasped.

"No!" she exclaimed.

"Really now, Melinda. Think about this, if you give me the stone I can help you. I could teach you more than you'd ever dream about magic. I could take you away from the retched muggles you seem to detest so much."

Melinda's eyes widened, how did he know about the Dursley's.

"I know what you're thinking, how did I know? I listen my dear, you aren't exactly quiet when they are brought up. Think about it Melinda, we could be great together, the rulers of this world. We could bring back your parents."

Melinda's eyes got glossy.

She didn't care all that much for power or glory, but her parents.

Sure, Voldemort wasn't talking about Poseidon when he said parents, but she considered James her dad as well, she just called him James mentally to keep Poseidon and James from confusing her.

The possibilities though, could he really help her bring back her mom and adoptive father?

_Don't listen to him Lin._

Melinda gasped softly, who was that? It sounded so familiar, a voice which she could recall.

_Don't give him the stone Lin, there is no way to bring back the dead. Not even gods can undo what the fates sow._

_Dad?_ She thought, and she felt warmth run through her. That was her father's voice, wasn't it?

_Yes, it's me little Pearl. Don't let him trick you, don't let your fatal flaw control you._

"NEVER!" Melinda yelled and threw out her hand.

To her surprise a light shot forward, shattering the mirror and forcing Voldemort back. The light had been brief, almost like a solar flare, but had not blinded her in the process, but Voldemort didn't look to happy or well with his eyes shut tightly.

Melinda turned, and began running towards the flaming walls. She had to believe she could get through them.

Subconsciously her hand went to her wand, but what could she do with it? The only spells she knew were first year basic spells.

The best one was the levitation charm and she wasn't powerful enough to levitate a person. She was still unsure how she'd blasted the mirror or Voldemort back.

Possibly her magic acting out, because of her connection to Hecate?

"KILL HER!"

Melinda gasped as pain shot through her head or more exactly, her scar.

Hands grabbed her as she came centimeters to the flames, she could feel the warmth on her face when she was thrown back down the stone steps.

She gasped in pain as her back collided twice with the steps, but she was able to stop her head from hitting stone.

"It's burns, her skin burns me master!"

"Kill her you fool! find a way, use your wand!"

Melinda scooted back along the stone floor, her hands landing on shards of glass as she did.

She ignored the cutting pain and clinched her left fist. Her wand was at the top of the stone steps, she was tired and didn't think her magic would be able to create the kind of punch it had before.

She had to do this the old fashioned way.

Melinda felt Abyss glow on her wrist and just as Quirrell shot a familiar green curse at her she brought the bronze shield up.

If she had been able to see the shield as the green spell hit she would have seen the snakes eyes glow green and almost appear to move as the shield stalled the curse, making it appear as if it sat on the surface like waves before it was shot back towards Quirrell.

The man had no time to move, his shock at seeing the curse rebound on him too great. Melinda heard Voldemort's shrieks, his cries of not again as she lowered Abyss.

Quirrell had somehow not only been killed but rendered as ashes on the concrete floor.

_You did great, my daughter._

Melinda was able to notice Abyss shrinking back to bracelet form as she let the blackness of unconsciousness take her, a smile on her face as she heard her father's words in her mind.

**xXx**

"You wonder why Quirrell could not touch you? That I believe has very much to do with your mother's sacrifice. A sacrificed such as that always leaves a mark, maybe not on the surface but a protection which is more then skin deep."

Those were the words Dumbledore had told her, well some of them, when she'd woken up two weeks later before the end of the year feast.

She had gathered from their discussion that he had no idea what really went on down there.

From what he said he thought the touch of her skin had turned Quirrell to ash, and that she'd stumbled her way down to the mirror which had been broken by Voldemort in his rage.

He had no idea it seemed that Quirrell had cast a killing curse at her, that she had somehow used Abyss to make it rebound back on him and that she had shattered the mirror.

He had no idea the kind of promises Voldemort had made her, the temptation she'd had to resist.

She owed it all to her father, she realized.

It was at that moment that any resentment she had for Poseidon left.

"I'm so glad you alright Melinda," Neville said, sort of flushed when she came in for the end of the year feast.

Everyone stared at her and whispered as she entered.

She had healed pretty much up in those two weeks thanks to Madam Pomfrey, but she still had a bandage around her hand from all those shards of glass – she'd been given so many potions upon arrival Poppy was afraid of overdosing and mixing of potions to heal her hand with magic.

She also still had some slight bruising on her back from where she'd tumbled down the stone steps when Quirrell threw her.

She planed to use some of the Pearl's water once she got back to Privet Drive, that way questions wouldn't be asked, or at least not to many.

She figured this was emergency enough, and it wasn't like she hadn't used the Pearl on herself for small things before. Well, small compared to when she was younger.

Melinda smiled as she sat down beside Hermione, Neville and Ron across from them.

"I'm glad to be out of that infirmary. You know there is only so much white a person can take," she said and Ron choked on some of his food and the four of them burst into laughter.

Melinda had learned a lot this year. She'd learned that anything was possible, that she didn't have to take anything lying down, that she could resist her deepest desires.

She'd learned she had family and she learned that one day, she'd be able to find them, even if it took her twenty years she'd be able to find another place to call home.

She just hoped she could survive that long.

* * *

**AN:**

Now some things to explain.

The Time line is as such:

Melinda's years in school: 1999 – 2006.

The Lightning Thief – 2006.

Sea of Monsters – 2007.

Titan's Curse – 2007.

Battle of the Labyrinth – 2008.

Last Olympian – 2009.

Lost Heroes & Son of Neptune – 2009-2010.

Melinda was born on July 31st, 1988.

Percy was born on August 18th, 1993.

That makes them five years apart.

They are both very powerful, and in a fight against one another it is unsure who would win. Most likely the battle would end in a tie or both dead. Not that they'll be fighting to the death, mind you.

Take into consideration Melinda is a witch and has that advantage, and that she also has more experience then Percy.

Now. Hecate is Melinda's great-grandmother.

Lily Evans-Potter was Hecate's granddaughter.

Melantha Blackwell-Evans was Hecate's daughter and Lily Evan's mother.

Petunia is completely oblivious to the fact she is a Legacy – a descendant of a demigod & mortal. Petunia was also not blessed by Hecate and any gift other then the ability to not keep her overly large neck out of people's business skipped Petunia dearest.

Lily would have been able to do some things even if Hecate hadn't blessed her at birth, leading her to be a witch later in life. If she'd never been blessed Lily would have been able to used magic directly from being a legacy to temporarily levitate herself – hence her ability to land safely after flying off the swing set when she was younger. And possibly use the same magic to temporarily make an object unbreakable.

But as well all know Lily Potter was indeed blessed and because of this a 'muggleborn' witch.

Now even though Melinda is a distant legacy of Hecate. Hecate's great-granddaughter, she was blessed by Hecate at birth like Lily. This means some of those traits that might have passed from Lily to Melinda but been dormant were not. One of the main reason Melinda is even a witch, since being a demigod might have stopped the magic from being inherited from Lily to Melinda otherwise.

Where as if Melinda had not been a demigod but James Potter's daughter biologically this would not have mattered.

There are very few witches or wizards who are demigods, just so we are on the same page. The most famous being the founders of Hogwarts and Merlin.

Gifts passed to Melinda through her relation to Hecate;

Snake-Charming – rare – commonly known as Parseltongue in the Wizarding World.

Wandless magic – only slight – might commonly be better refereed to as accidental magic until she learns to control it. It is magic in it's purest form, what Wizards and Witches might mistake for wandless magic, but we'll call it that for convenience and because it is done wandless. One display of that would be in the chapter above when she was able to shatter the mirror.

A wizard might assume that was a wandless blasting curse.

Her magical core is slightly more developed then a first year and once she hits maturity it'll be a bit above average for the regular witch or wizard. Not quite on level with Dumbledore or Voldemort but close enough that she'd likely win with her other advantages. Though not if she were fighting both at the same time. Using these type of abilities is tiring, she'll wear herself out if she's not used to the strain or careful.

Now she is the daughter of Poseidon, so you can pretty much rest assured that any gift Percy had in the book so does Melinda. Though Melinda may not ever have the same kind of control Percy does, since she relies more on her magic and weapons then her abilities over water.

**Abyss** – This is the name she chose for her shield. A dedication to her great-grandmother, Hecate who is one who spends a lot of time in the Underworld. The shield takes the form of a starfish golden cuff bracelet on her left wrist.

**Tachýs** – Greek, meaning 'swift'. A reference to the swiftness of the sea and a dedication to her father's domain and powers. This is what she named her trident – a weapon enchanted by Hecate to be able to change into the form of a sword if she ever find herself in a situation where a trident would be hard to use.

Both weapons are enchanted by Hecate to never be lost, much like Riptide.

Abyss is also enchanted by Hecate to reflect or more likely absorb most spells that hit it.

As seen in the chapter above when the killing curse was rebound. Now normally a curse of this power would not be rebounded off Abyss, but through Hecate's enchantment and Lily's sacrifice Abyss was able to not absorb or stop the curse but also rebound it back to Voldemort. This will probably not happen very often if ever again if the spell is not cast by Voldemort himself.

I think I've pretty much covered everything that might be questioned, but if you have a question feel free to ask.

Next chapter we begin Year Two which I'll tell you know if going to be even more changed then first year. Melinda may actually face one of her worse years yet because of one difference, and of course every other difference being a demigod makes in her life.


	6. The Years Before: Year Two

**AN: Another chapter. **

**Now, some have asked about pairings, friendships and other demigods at Hogwarts.**

**For pairings I am probably going to make this a Perlia seeing as I like writing that pairing a lot more than Percabeth. **

**I love Percabeth, but I like it like I like green vegetables, not all the time and in small amounts. **

**I am unsure whether to make Annabeth a Huntress in this story though, so tell me what you all think. Should I find someone to pair Annabeth with or make her a Huntress?**

**Also some suggested Draco/Melinda. **

**While this is a good pairing in itself, I can't see it for this story. Draco will be a close friend in the future, once he grows up some but I was thinking of putting either Astoria - as is canon - or Luna with Draco. **

**Hermione and Ron...that's iffy. I've never been a big Hermione/Ron lover, because to me it just made to little sense. **

**Opposites attract but those two were just so different. **

**I might pair her with a Weasley though, maybe Fred - if I keep him alive, which I probably will since I love the twins - or Charlie. Probably Fred though. I am open to suggestions for Hermione.**

**With Melinda I always planed for her pairing to be godly - though I did toy with the idea of Luke or Nico but Luke has to die being Kronos' host and Nico is two young despite being older then he looks. I'm just not sure who in the end. **

**We'll have to wait and see won't we.**

**Now for demigods other then Melinda and Hermione - who is a legacy of Athena not a demigod. Well, Tom Riddle/Voldemort would be a Legacy of Hecate being related to Salazar Slytherin. **

**Which means Mel and Tom are related, I didn't do that on purpose, funny how that happens.**

**As for other demigods...there is one. She'll be seen this year, she is a HP canon character, but you'll have to see who she is probably next chapter.**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter and R&R!**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 6: The Years Before: Year Two. **

Melinda was running.

That to a normal person might not seem so strange but when it's _from _a pack of hounds out to rip you to itty bitty pieces, well that was another matter.

She didn't know if the fates didn't like her or if maybe her Uncle Hades had decided to let out a few extra hellhounds this season, but having three of the things on your tail never turns out well.

"Hey, Sweet Cheeks!"

Melinda rolled her eyes as she passed the man on the street. She suspected he was a drunk, and while she was slightly more developed than your average twelve year old, that didn't change the fact she was only twelve.

She barely grew to 5'0 over the summer, much less grew breast.

Sometimes men disgusted her.

Melinda breathed a small sigh upon seeing the deserted park on Magnolia Crescent.

She could hear the hounds getting closer, and made short work of vaulting over the park fence, pushing a little magic into her jump so she would be sure to get over it.

She had been working on some of the spells in the grimoire given by Hecate last Halloween.

The spells weren't things wand sorcerers could do, they were spells meant for those with magic in it's truest form, descendants of Hecate.

Of course she couldn't use the really big ones since she was not as closely related to Hecate as some and didn't have a lot of true magic.

Mostly she'd learned that being the great-granddaughter of Hecate had meant a larger than average magical core once she reached maturity. But the spells in the books were little ones that she'd have enough magic to do.

Though the more magic she used the more tired she became.

One of those spells she was most fond of was a simple levitation spell. She couldn't use it to it's full power because being in Zeus' domain would be a suicide mission – or at least going too high in his domain.

She supposed she could fly either because she was on a broom, an object Hecate's magical children created, or because she wasn't that high and he didn't know who she was.

As soon as Melinda's feet touched the ground she was once again running, this time she could practically feel the hot breath on her heals.

She ran towards the slide, which was situated close enough to the merry go round, and jumped on it turning to the side and basically kicking of of it and onto the merry go round.

It was just in time to avoid one of the hellhounds jaws closing around her ankles and she practically sailed over a seconds head.

"I'd say I had something better to do...but the sad truth is I don't," Melinda said as she let Tachýs grow to size.

As one of the hellhounds bounded for her, she twirled the trident in her hands and slashed as the dog.

It was almost amazing to watch the three blades of the Trident tare through the hellhounds throat and render it without a head and as monster dust.

Unfortunately, she had no time to turn her trident to strike the one coming at her side with a vengeance.

So she had to settle for her reflexes and gracefully spinning out of the way, chuckling when the beast collided with one of the hand holds on the merry go round.

She wasted no time driving her trident through it's back, and without much more than a simple flick of her wrist Abyss appeared to fend off the jaws of the last hellhound.

The force of the dog hitting her, forced her off the merry go round and onto her butt.

She skidded a few inches across the sandy ground, keeping Abyss up and the hounds snapping jaws away from her face and throat.

"Hey, Cujo," she snapped. "Get off!"

With a grunt Melinda was able to throw the hound back against the merry go round, thanking Mother Hecate for small spells she could preform to temporarily increase ones strength.

Of course it took a few seconds to kick in, the reason she'd been using Abyss to keep the hound back for so long.

Damn, Melinda thought as she stood, her arm feeling like a ton of led.

She'd used two spells in the span of ten minutes, for someone like her that was draining. Especially since the levitation spell was easy were as the strength spell was a bit more advanced.

Allowing Tachýs to glow in her hand she felt it shrink down to sword form. Melinda jumped back twice as the hound leaped forward and twirled Tachýs in her hand before darting forward, Abyss ready to defend if this failed, and drove Tachýs towards the dog.

She'd always wondered if monsters were more intelligent than they looked.

From the wide eyed look the hound had before Tachýs pierced between it's eyes and into it's body, she had to go with; Yes, monsters could be intelligent enough to be aware of what was going on around them.

Melinda sighed in relief as the last hound was vaporized. Allowing Abyss and Tachýs to return to their designed forms she flicked a chunk of her dark hair out of her face and began the walk home.

What a birthday present, she hoped all her birthdays weren't this interesting.

**xXx**

"Where have you been?" Uncle Vernon snapped when she entered the house fifteen minutes later.

To her surprise she realized just how late it was, especially considering the two guest that sat on the couch, staring at her.

She looked between her nicely dressed – though Aunt Petunia's dress would have made her look less like a salmon cake if it wasn't...salmon pink. – relatives and the two guest.

How could she forget, the Mason's were coming for dinner and Uncle Vernon's stupid raise or promotion. Actually, Melinda wasn't to sure what it was, and she didn't particularly care.

"Sorry, lost track of time uncle," she said, smirking mentally at her relatives slowly widening eyes.

Her uncle seemed really close to turning purple. Shame on him, and in front of guest as well.

She wasn't stupid, she had known _exactly _what she'd done.

She'd let the Mason's know exactly who she was, and that was a fact of utmost embarrassment to her aunt and uncle. The hat hadn't wanted to put her in Slytherin for nothing after all.

"You never told me you had a niece Vernon," Mr. Mason said, looking from her uncle towards her.

Melinda pasted a smile on her face. Her clothes were a bit torn and dirty, but thankfully there was no blood anywhere in sight.

Though she felt like she had just carried the sky for a few minutes – for a split second she couldn't help but pity Atlas. The sky must be really heavy and much worse than what she'd just been through.

"She's rather lovely looking, a nice young lady it seems," Mrs. Mason said, looking her over approvingly.

Though she seemed a bit concerned and disapproving for a split second when she noted the tare on her shirt and the claw marks on her jeans – once again thank the gods for her rather baggy clothes, it had saved her from getting blood on them since the hellhounds claws had barely even grazed the skin.

Though she'd have to think about using some of her inheritance to buy her own soon.

"Oh, Frankie, doesn't she remind you of Trisha's girl?" Mrs. Mason asked, smiling at her husband. "Trisha is our daughter, she has a young girl about your nieces age. Her name is Melody."

Melinda watched in amusement as her relatives reacted stiffly to this.

Mr. Mason nodded.

"Yes, well sometimes it's hard to remember she even exist with how quiet she is," Vernon laughed, but Melinda knew it was forced.

Petunia looked like she'd swallowed a orange whole as she tried to smile and Dudley looked confused.

"Yes, she goes to boarding school in Scotland most the year, she just returned about a month ago. Melinda, dear why don't you sit down and have tea with the Mason's with us?" Aunt Petunia asked.

Melinda thought Dudley was going to catch flies for a living if he didn't close his mouth soon. Vernon had literally choked on his tongue.

"Oh, sorry. Allergies," Uncle Vernon lied, but the Mason's seemed to buy it.

Melinda smiled at her relatives as if she'd love nothing more.

"So, is Melinda your sister's girl Vernon?" Mrs. Mason asked a few seconds later.

Melinda tried to discretely snort into her tea but from the looks her aunt and uncle sent her they'd noticed.

Dudley was glaring at her as she took a pastry off the tray on the coffee table. She knew as long as the Mason's were there she could get away with murder – metaphorically speaking.

"Oh no, no," Vernon said forcing a amused grin.

She could tell Vernon had been deeply offended but then so was Melinda. She hated Marge with a passion, and the woman's stupid dog, Ripper.

"She's my sister's daughter," Petunia said, saving her husband from embarrassment.

"Oh, you have a sister?" Mr. Mason asked. "She must be something to have such a lovely daughter. I've never seen green eyes quite like hers before, not even my darling Mary's are like that."

Mrs. Mason beamed, and indeed, her eyes were a very startling green but nowhere near Melinda's.

Aunt Petunia looked like she'd been told she had a week to live, for about a second before she plastered a flamboyantly fake smile on her face.

"Had, I'm afraid my sister, Lily, died eleven years ago. It was...a sad day. I don't really like bringing her up, especially not around Melinda. She's so sensitive about her mother," she said and Melinda raised an eyebrow at her aunt's Slytherin tactic.

As the Mason's turned to her she made a show of looking stricken and grieved at the mention of her mother.

Melinda didn't have to act much, just bringing her thoughts of her mother and step-father's deaths to the front of her mind for a few seconds.

"Oh the poor girl," Mrs. Mason said.

"Thank you Mrs. Mason," Melinda said suddenly. "It really isn't easy sometimes, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are great."

She had to restrain the urge to vomit.

"Melinda," Aunt Petunia said suddenly. "I know you just got in but you should go clean up and finish your summer work. You only have a month before you return to school as it is."

Melinda's eyes twinkled.

"Sure, but...I left my stuff in the cupboard. May I get it out, I promise not to disturb anything on my way up."

She was sure the look of disgust in her aunt and uncles eyes went unnoticed by the Mason's but they only served to amuse Melinda.

When she returned for the summer her aunt and uncle had confiscated her trunk and stuffed in the cupboard. It wasn't as if they cared she had summer homework to do, what did it matter if she failed?

"Of course dear," Petunia said tightly. "Vernon, give Mel the key."

With a sigh Uncle Vernon stood and grabbed a key from a table, and handed them to her with extreme loathing. He tried to cover it with a happy chortle and grin though.

"Thank you Uncle Vernon," she said politely but with a hint of mocking in her voice.

She nodded politely at the Mason's.

"It was great meeting you Mr. and Mrs. Mason," she said and then left for the cupboard.

She hastily unlocked it and grabbed one of Dudley's many old book-bags that had nothing wrong with them except for him having gotten bored of them.

As she was stuffing every little thing into the bag she had to be thankful that her relatives had to buy Dudley the largest possible book-bag so that it would fit his overly obese body.

With a groan of discomfort Melinda threw the bag over her shoulder, deciding she'd just place everything in her mother's old trunk for the next school year, and store everything from her mother's trunk in this one under her bed.

So with discreteness born of her Slytherin side, Melinda grabbed her invisibility cloak and a coat she'd been using since she was little and still in her old bedroom.

She'd made it seem as if what she was carrying in her hand was the coat, while the cloak made her trunk unseeing to anyone as she carried it up the stairs.

It all went down without a hitch, she doubted her relatives even realized she had her trunk with her as well as she went to her room.

"Wee!"

Melinda blinked as she shut the door behind her, dropping the coat and trunk. When she'd come up here she had not expected to find some sort of wrinkled creature jumping up and down on her bed.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her hand going towards Tachýs.

It didn't look dangerous but the chance it was a monster was still there. Two green eyes like tennis balls stared at her as the creature jumped off the bed.

It was strange thing, looking sort of like a long raisin with legs, arms and a pillow case clothing it's body.

"Dobby the House Elf, ma'am," the creature...elf said.

Dobby, Melinda thought and then let her hand fall away from her ring. She thought she had heard of house elves, they were written about in a few books.

They were supposedly a race of beautiful warriors who tried to over throw the magical world and were punished to become servants by will to those they slaughtered.

Some thought them former mischief demons, but Melinda knew better. Mischief demons were much meaner from what the grimoire said and were servants of the Norse god, Loki.

"Why are you here, Dobby?"

Dobby's eyes widened and he wrung his hands on his dirty make-shift uniform.

"Dobby has heard that Melinda Potter was wise and kind just as she is great. But Dobby had not been knowing that Melinda Potter was Royalty as well."

Melinda blinked.

"Huh?"

Not the most intelligent of responses but it wasn't everyday she got a house elf telling her how great and royal she was.

"A demigoddess, it is an honor to meet a princess of the sea." Dobby bowed lowly, so low she feared he'd fall to his knees and start worshiping her.

"Uh, Dobby that's kind and all but..." she walked forward and pulled the kneeling elf up gently but with strength in case he resisted.

"I'm not all that wise and you can ask my friends...I can be really spiteful at times. Also I'm not all that great, I'm just Melinda."

"Just Melinda? Oh no, that great Melinda Potter is much more then just Melinda," Dobby ranted. "You have done great service for house elves by vanquishing he-who-must-not-be-named."

Melinda raised an eyebrow.

"Really? I didn't really do anything Dobby, that was my mother."

"But it is a great thing, Melinda Potter is modest, very modest for one so great," Dobby said. "Before there were dark times for house elves, we were treated like vermin but than, Dobby is still treated as vermin."

Melinda felt sorry for the elf, and she sat on her bed, looking at the green eyed creature.

"You're welcome then..."

"You thank Dobby!" Dobby exclaimed, seriously shocked. "No one has ever thanked Dobby before."

Melinda sighed.

"Why are you here Dobby? It couldn't have just been to tell me this, I've read about your kind. You serve a family and you don't look like a free elf, so who sent you?"

Dobby shook his head.

"No one sent Dobby, Dobby came on his own to warn Melinda Potter."

"Great," Melinda said under her breath. "About what?"

"About terrible things about to happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Dobby said this so dramatically Melinda was almost concerned that the elf had been hitting his masters liquor Cabinet.

Almost.

"What terrible things, Dobby? How do you know about them?"

Dobby blinked.

"Dobby can not say, Dobby just came to protect Melinda Potter. Melinda Potter must promise not to return to Hogwarts. It be too dangerous for her."

Melinda stared at the elf and then shook her head.

"No, no, and again no!"

"But Melinda Potter must!" Dobby cried, reminding her of a five year old who'd be denied a lolly pop. But a very serious one.

"No, Melinda Potter mustn't!" Melinda retorted and then mentally hit herself for speaking about herself in third person.

It just made her sound that much more insane.

"Look Dobby, I appreciate it but I am in no more danger there then I am here. Not to mention I have friends at Hogwarts, it's my home."

_One of them for now,_ she thought to herself thinking of the day she'd be able to make her way to Camp Half-Blood.

"Melinda Potter must not return to Hogwarts!" he gasped out and Melinda sighed, she was starting to get a migraine and this noise was going to attract attention if she wasn't careful.

"Dobby, please return to your master. I don't want to have to banish you." Dobby's eyes widened.

"Ban-banish Dobby?"

Melinda paled.

"No, no not there Dobby. I'd never send you there, just from the house."

Poor elf, he serious thought she was going to send him packing to the realm of his former people.

From what she understood when they were punished the realm which sort of mirrored earth – people who'd read Lord of the Rings might want to identify it with middle earth, even though this wasn't quite like that. Not from what she read.

But when all the elves were punished it sort of turned into a void, only darkness remained.

Back when people knew what house elves used to be, wizards – mostly demigods or legacies – would banish bad house elves back to the void.

"Dobby must protect Melinda Potter," he said, almost miserably.

"I can protect myself Dobby, I'd heed your warning but please. Go."

Dobby sniffled.

"Dobby will listen to sea princess, but Dobby can not promise to not protect Melinda Potter."

With that there was a soft pop or poof and the house elf was gone. Melinda sighed, sitting down once again on her bed. Maybe she should take a nap?

Laying down on her bed Melinda stared at the ceiling, wondering what exactly Dobby was warning her about. What terrible things awaited her at Hogwarts.

Surely they could be no worse then last year.

As Melinda fell asleep she had no idea what the fates had in store for her this year, that indeed terrible things awaited her.

This would be one of the worst years Melinda would have in years to come.


	7. The Years Before: Year Two II

**AN: So here we have another chapter. **

**I hope you all like it, and just so you know while Melinda's main pairing will most likely be godly she'll have crushes and relationships before that. **

**We get a hint of something that might, might develop a little in the future. But most definitely not for long, none of her relationships will last very long or even get very far but then Melinda has so many secrets.**

**Also, next chapter we get to meet the other demigod at Hogwarts.**

**Anyways, enjoy and R&R!**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 7: The Years Before: Year Two II.**

"She's asleep..."

"...maybe we shouldn't wake her."

Melinda's eyes fluttered to the sounds of whispered voices. She wasn't sure where they were coming from but her first instinct was to jump up and bring out Tachýs.

Thankfully, before she could do more than jump out of bed she heard a more familiar voice.

"No, we came all this way to make sure she was alright. Obviously something isn't if she's not answering her mail."

Ron, she thought as she looked around, her eyes falling on her window where to her surprise a Ford Anglia hovered outside.

Inside were three redheads, Fred, George and Ron Weasley, she realized.

"Ron," she hissed harshly, walking over to the window.

She was glad she'd fallen asleep in her jeans and large shirt that night instead of something less modest – not that she had anything except a pair of boy shorts and Gryffindor tank top; a Christmas gift from Hermione the year before.

"Mel!" Ron exclaimed, maybe too loudly.

"Shhh!" Melinda snapped. "The Muggles are sleep but if you make too much noise..."

"Right," Fred said, and to her amusement George bopped Ron on the back of his head.

"Don't wake the muggles, Ronnikins," George finished for his brother.

Melinda had reason to worry. After her entrance the night of her birthday a week ago her aunt and uncle had been nearly nuclear.

She wasn't supposed to have met the Mason's, much less had tea and pastries.

So that very next day Vernon had ranted about never returning to Hogwarts – as if that would get her out of their hair – and installed a cat flap on the door and many deadbolts and locks, on the outside of course.

She hadn't been aloud out but twice a day to use the bathroom, there was a bucket in the room in case she had to go during the night. She made it a point not to have to.

Thankfully she had been able to persuade her uncle that putting bars on her window would draw attention. What would the neighbors think about such an unusual and abnormal occurrence?

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Saving you of course. You haven't been answering mine, Neville or Hermione's letters. What happened?"

Melinda frowned. Dobby's words about protecting her came to her and she closed her eyes and groaned.

"I think I know. I'll explain on the way, but we need to go if we're going. We don't want the muggles waking up."

The boys nodded and Fred and George entered through the window and helped her throw her stuff into her mother's trunk, the stuff that had once been in her mother's trunk now in the trunk she'd used last year and pushed under her bed.

She like the year before kept many of her mother's journals, diaries, some other books, jewelry box and her baby blanket.

As Fred and George heaved the trunk through the window to Ron, Melinda tore out a piece of notebook paper and grabbed a pencil.

_Muggles,_

_Left for the summer, be back in June. _

_Your darling niece,_

_Melinda. _

It was simple and she knew it would piss her aunt and uncle off, which was what she was aiming for. By the time she returned it would be forgotten anyways.

"Ready Princess?" George asked, smiling at the slight flush it forced from the petite brunette.

Fred was snickering from his side at the cherry looking Melinda who glared as she took Georges offered hand. As she was halfway out the window Hedwig hooted and she gasped.

"I forgot Hedwig!" she exclaimed, and then she heard the thump.

Her uncle was up, either that or Dudley had broken another bed.

"Hurry," Ron urged, they could all hear the thundering footsteps, like a herd of elephants.

And then it was outside her door just as she reached Hedwig's cage to George and Melinda turned as the door was thrown open.

"She's escaping!" Uncle Vernon roared.

Melinda used reflexes born of being a demigod to take a leaping jump from the window to the car.

Vernon just barely missed her ankle, which meant as she was pulled into the car he fell out the window. Hanging out the window, she could see Aunt Petunia trying to pull him back in.

"See ya!" she cried as she moved to sit in between the twins, Hedwig in the backseat with Ron.

She laughed as she noticed Aunt Petunia loose her hold and Uncle Vernon fall to the bushes bellow. Would it be too much to ask for him to break his neck? Probably, she thought with a sigh.

"Your relatives have issues Mellie," Ron said, smirking.

"For once Ron's right..." George began.

Fred finished, smirking, "...Lin-Lin."

Melinda scowled. "Don't call me that."

On the way to the Burrow Melinda explained why she hadn't written back. She hadn't received any letters, and simply assumed they weren't writing for some reason.

And it wasn't like her relatives would allow her to send out letters. She told them of Dobby and how she suspected he was stopping her mail.

"House elves are very loyal to their masters," Fred said, frowning. "I wouldn't trust the little thing, he might be working for some dark family to stop you from learning magic."

"But why?" Ron asked. "Who cares if she learns magic?"

Melinda snorted.

"Thanks Ron," she said and Ron's ears turned red.

"I didn't mean it like that Mel," he said.

"She's the Girl-Who-Lived," George said. "A lot of people who joined You-Know-Who could be suspect. There are also those who believe You-Know-Who is still alive, just gaining power."

Melinda nodded. She's seen what Voldemort had become at the end of last year, she'd now met him three times. When she was a year old, in the Forbidden Forest and when she'd gone to stop him from getting the stone.

Not only did she have to put up with demigod dreams but nightmares of red eyes and snake like features.

Melinda had never been afraid of snakes, growing up they were the only ones who didn't hate her and would talk to her – gardener snakes mostly as she was forced to tend to Petunia's garden, still was.

But for the first time she was actually afraid of someone, she'd never admit to it, but Voldemort did frighten her, but anyone who said they had no fear was a fool in her mind.

"Hagrid believes that, as does Dumbledore," Melinda said. "Does everyone own house elves?"

Ron frowned.

"Not everyone, mostly just the old Pureblooded families. Like the Zabinis, Greengrass', Longbottoms and Malfoys."

Melinda nodded and a few seconds later the car set down in front of a multiple story house which appeared to be tilted dangerously to one side.

She couldn't exactly tell how many floors the home had, but it looked so different from what she was used to. Melinda instantly loved the place.

It was as they got out of the car Melinda realized how lucky she, Ron, Fred and George were. She'd just escaped Privet Drive in a _flying _car. She'd been dangerously high in Zeus' domain, and she'd lived.

She could only pray the king of the gods didn't realize who she was anytime soon nor that he recalled anything like this in the past. She'd been warned of how unkind Zeus was to his brother's children who dared to fly.

In that moment she vowed never to set foot on a plane. At least in the car they hadn't been _that_ high.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!"

Melinda was stripped from her thoughts by this ferocious shriek, which came from a short, plump, redheaded woman who could only be Mrs. Weasley.

She looked like an angry saber-tooth tiger. As the motherly figure began chewing her son out she couldn't help but feel bad for her friends.

Mrs. Weasley looked like a formidable mother, and who ever thought they would hurt this woman's family may find out just how bad a woman scorned could be.

**xXx**

Albus Dumbledore didn't know what to think of Melinda Potter.

The Girl-Who-Lived, the daughter of two of the brightest students he'd had the pleasure of teaching, Lily and James Potter.

He'd be truthful, the news that Lily was pregnant in 1988 had shocked him more than he cared to admit. He'd been there when Poppy had broken the news that the curse she'd been hit by in the attack during her sixth year had attacked her reproductive system.

It would be a miracle if she ever conceived and if she did her risk of miscarriage was very high, about eighty-five percent chance she'd loose the baby within the first five months.

But Lily had beaten the odds, she'd not only conceived but had a healthy baby girl.

The prophecy repeated in his mind the night he'd gotten news that Lily had delivered a baby girl.

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark one as his equal, but divine will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..._

Back then it had confused him, now it confused him even more. He'd admit that when he'd heard it he'd thought of both Lily and Alice who were both due at the end of July.

At first he'd been unsure which one but he'd been expecting boys, for both babies. It was no secret that most Pureblood families, especially the Malfoy, Weasley and Potter families were known for having boys, and very few if any females.

Ginevra Weasley was the first daughter in generations.

Melinda Potter could claim the same. The last female Potter had been born in 1877, and was long dead. James' Aunt Lysistrata**,** he thought her name was.

He remembered her because she'd taught him Potions until she retired in his sixth year. A very strict, and passionate Ravenclaw alumni, she'd died in 1967, the same year James Potter had been born.

After the two possibilities of the prophecy had been born he'd assumed it would be Neville. He now realized how closed minded that had been, doubting that Voldemort might choose the baby girl, the Half-Blood instead of the Pureblood.

He'd been more worried though, for Melinda.

He recalled his own little sister, not to sound sexist but since the day his sister had been attacked by the muggle boys he'd thought of girls as fragile beings.

Could he really lay the prophecy on the shoulders of such an innocent girl.

But then, he didn't have any choice, she was the one. Voldemort had made sure of that himself and she was definitely powerful.

He'd always wondered what the prophecy meant by 'but divine will have power the Dark Lord knows not...'

It made little sense. Divine, godly, maybe meaning very powerful.

He'd have to assume that was what it meant, from what he'd seen Melinda was definitely powerful. She'd defeated the troll, killing it in fact.

He'd been weary of that, killing, even a creature like the troll wasn't something he agreed with. It would be much better to simply render them unable to attack, unconscious or bound.

He'd never killed anyone, not even when he defeated his own Dark Lord.

Dumbledore sighed, sometimes he missed Gellert.

He had worried about the fact she showed little remorse for the trolls death, nor did she seem to be worried about what had happened to Quirrell.

In some ways she reminded him of Tom Riddle, and seeing as the man had grown up very similar to Melinda and had went on to become the Dark Lord Voldemort...

He couldn't let that happen again. He couldn't save Tom but he couldn't allow himself to fail Melinda or Lily and James.

Lily and James. Two deaths that weighed as heavily as Ariana on his soul. Their daughter's fate also weighed on him, he knew both would hate what she would have to go through in the coming years to defeat Voldemort and fulfill her prophecy.

They'd hate that he'd left her with Petunia, but she looked well enough. Maybe on the skinny side, but no more than a child with high metabolism did.

Her clothes from the muggle world were little more than rags, but she was healthy and that was what mattered in the long run. Wasn't it?

What threw him though was how little she resembled a Potter. She seemed to have some of the Pureblooded sharpness from James, but that was about it.

Her eyes were her mothers, though maybe a difference in shade.

And her hair looked like James' Black had blended with Lily's red to make a dark brown with lighter brown/auburn highlights.

He had expected her to look more like James, maybe wearing glasses but her eyes seemed as good as Lily's, if not more so.

"Ah," Dumbledore said as one of his trinkets began to spin. "It seems Melinda has left her relatives, Fawkes."

The magnificent Phoenix sung a comforting tune, and Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth happily.

He wasn't worried, from the letter in front of him, it looked as if she was at the Burrow, the home of the Weasley's.

She'd be safe there for the rest of the summer. Though he'd have to implore her not to leave her relatives again, it was hardly safe out there for her, away from the blood wards.

Unknown to him, the so called Blood Wards were weaker then a protego.

It was only through Petunia's connection to Hecate the wards had lasted so long. It would be a miracle, or an act of Hecate herself that would insure that the wards lasted until Melinda was seventeen.

But even Hecate could only do so much when there was so little love between Melinda and her relatives. Without that the wards were beginning to disintegrate before they had even properly settled on the home eleven years ago.

For all his years, Albus Dumbledore was little more wise than your average fool.

**xXx**

The rest of the summer Melinda stayed at the Burrow, and it was the best summer of her life.

Things hadn't changed much with Ron, he was still the same as the year before, but taller. He now practically towered over her, and in a year or two she'd never be able to catch up.

She just hoped she wouldn't be so short forever. She had also gotten to know Fred and George a little better. They were both definitely devious, pranksters to the core.

She'd been ready to run them through with Tachýs when she woke and found her hair pink with yellow pokadots.

Instead she just caused the dish water to drench them while Mrs. Weasley cleaned up that morning and blamed accidental magic. Mrs. Weasley had actually been the one to claim it was that, and she'd just ran with it.

Mr. Weasley was something else altogether. He seemed oddly obsessed with muggle things and how they worked but he seemed like a great father, and very kind and understanding.

She wished she could see her father again, but she knew she couldn't get her hopes up.

Percy was kind of strange around her. He would looked at her like he'd only just now seen her, and she knew she had grown up some the past summer, and Percy was kind of cute, but it also felt kind of strange since he was a few years older then her (Four to be exact).

Another with the habit of staring at her was the youngest.

A girl named Ginny who kept looking at her like she was some kind of goddess. Like at any moment she'd break out into hero worship.

"Ginny's been talking about you all summer, mom and dad think she idolizing you," Ron muttered to her at dinner the day she'd met the flushing, wide eyed redheaded girl.

"They think it's adorable, and hope she can look up to you like an older sister, but the rest of us just think it's annoying."

Melinda hadn't said anything but she could see how it was annoying. Melinda didn't mind trying to get to know the girl, but she just hoped Ginny would realize the stories she'd heard weren't all true.

She wasn't some all powerful hero, she was just a witch who wasn't entirely human.

Godly blood or not Melinda was still human, she couldn't stay on that high pedestal forever. It wasn't safe to be that high up in Zeus' metaphorical domain anyways.

After the first two weeks Ginny had taken to doing other things outside the house, so Melinda hadn't any need to put up with it the whole summer.

It seemed she was beginning to lighten up though, not staring or following her around as much as before. Ron said Ginny's friend, Luna lived close by and that was where she went all the time.

Melinda didn't ask further.

Then, close to the end of August Mr and Mrs. Weasley gathered them to head to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies. Melinda had been looking forward to that all summer so she was up bright and early.

She was hoping to get some sets of clothes while they were out, Mrs. Weasley had taken one look at the clothes she owned and agreed that it would be best that they made some extra purchases for her.

Melinda did feel bad though, she knew the Weasley's didn't have the money she did. But no matter how much she offered Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley thanked her and would not accept the offer.

She had convinced them to allow her to buy Ginny her own wand since her Birthday had passed on the 11th of August and she'd not had anything to give the girl.

"Ah...a Weasley," Olivander had said, his silver eyes bright.

The whole family gathered, Ginny in the front looking rather anxious.

Ron looked envious, but Melinda had placated her friend with the fact it was Ginny's birthday present and that if his parents would allow her, she'd get him a new one for his birthday as well.

"Ah, Molly Prewett, though I suppose it's Weasley these days," Olivander said. "Rowan, Dragon heartstring, 9 ½"."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and Olivander turned his gaze on Mr. Weasley.

"And Arthur, If I recall yours was Fir, Unicorn hair, 12 inches."

"That's right, it's served me well," Mr. Weasley said and Olivander nodded.

"Well of course it did," he said and then turned his eyes on Ginny. "So is it just young Ginevra today, or the whole lot?"

"It's just Ginny," Melinda spoke up and Olivanders eyes lit up at the sight of her.

She wondered briefly whom Olivander was descended from, if he was a demigod or a legacy.

"Ah, Ms. Potter. I suspect your wand has been well, unusual combo you had. Holly, Phoenix feather and Mermaid hair, 11 inches."

Melinda nodded, though she knew it wasn't mermaid hair but Nereid hair, but she understood it would confuse or make them question if they knew the true origins.

One day she'd probably tell her closest friends her heritage, but right now she knew it was best to keep it a secret. The more people that knew her father was Poseidon the more dangerous it became.

"Two cores?" Mrs. Weasley gasped.

"Wands can have more then one core?" Ron asked, surprised.

"Oh most certainly, but it's very rare. I have only sold a handful of those wands this decade," Olivander said. "Now, Ms. Weasley just hold out your wand arm and we'll begin."

It took ten minutes and fourteen wands for Ginny to find the right match.

"Cypress, Dragon heartstring, 10 inches. An unusual mix but very powerful in the right hands," Olivanders said after the shower of red and silver sparks Ginny's wand had emitted.

Melinda found it sort of ironic that Ginny's wand was Cypress, a sacred wood of Hecate's – though not only her great-grandmother, she thought she read it was one of Artemis' trees as well.

Going to Flourish and Blotts might have been nice, they did meet Hermione and Neville there but the book signing going on put a damper on it.

Melinda had sat down and read one paragraph of one of Lockhart's books at the Burrow and instantly hated it. The guy had to be a fraud, there was no way he had done even what the first page had said, much less what everyone claimed.

"This is torture," Melinda muttered as she stood with her friends, looking on as the great git Lockhart flaunted himself around like a golden peacock.

For once she half hoped a monster would break down the shop door and possibly maim Lockhart before she could kill it.

"That's rude, I don't think it's torture at all. Have you read what he's done?" Hermione gushed.

Melinda, Neville, and Ron shot her looks of disbelief.

"Hermione, we really don't need him to tell us how to degnome a garden much less how to he supposedly took on vampires, hags and banshees," Melinda said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm with Mel," Neville said. "There is no way he's done everything he claims."

Ron snorted.

"I think he's gay."

Hermione and a few witches who'd heard him all looked outrage while Neville and Melinda broke into laughter.

"It can't be," a voice broke through, and Melinda instantly stopped laughing. "The Girl-Who-Lived."

Oh no, Melinda thought her eyes wide but before she could do anything she was grabbed by some reporter and thrown to the peacock.

She flinched as the blond twit invaded every personal space bubble known to man and squished her to his side, his arm tightly around her shoulder.

"What an honor, that Melinda Potter, Girl-Who-Lived would walk into Flourish and Blotts looking to buy my books and meet me," Lockhart gloated and she glared as the flashes of cameras went off repeatedly.

"She had no idea she'd be getting my books... for free," he said, grinning and she rolled her eyes.

As everyone clapped she raised her foot and slammed it down onto Lockharts foot. She noticed him choke back a scream and she slipped out of his grip.

"Bad luck mate," Ron said, looking at her with pity.

"I think it was great luck," Hermione argued and Neville and Melinda rolled their eyes as the two argued.

It was as they came close to the entrance that Draco appeared. He hadn't changed much, just gotten a bit taller. Still shorter than Ron but only just.

He was as usual sneering at them, but his sneer faltered when he caught her eye.

Just as she was about to interrupt his little insult game with Ron the door opened and a gloved hand grabbed onto Draco's shoulder.

"Now Draco, play nice."

Melinda looked up to find the voices source and her eyes narrowed. This must be Draco's father, he looked just like an older, colder version of his son, though his eyes were lacking the blue Draco's had.

"Hmm, Weasley's, Longbottom and a Potter – I see the circle of friends between some families have not changed." Mr. Malfoy's eyes fell on Hermione and his eyes turned to disgust. "Pity."

"The Girl-Who-Lived," Malfoy said, and Melinda flinched as the man grabbed her arm and yanked her closer. She saw her friends move to help, even Draco seemed tense at his father's actions. "Forgive me, but your scar is legendary."

He moved her bangs out of the way with his hand, lingering far too long for her liking.

"But then, so is the wizard who gave it," Malfoy muttered.

Melinda glared, yanking herself free.

"Voldemort was a coward and a murderer, nothing more."

Part of her didn't know if she really believed that. Who exactly was Voldemort? Like she had told Ron when they met, Voldemort had to have been a boy once.

With a mother and childhood, how had he become what he was today, when had it began, why had it began?

"Lucius," Mr. Weasley snapped rather coldly as he appeared beside her.

She felt a bit relieved when the head of the Weasley's placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Almost as if to protect her from the elder Malfoy.

"Weasley," Lucius returned, disgust on his face. "I see you still can't keep your family with good merchandise."

"Us Weasley's have a different idea of what is and isn't good merchandise, Malfoy," Mr. Weasley replied and Lucius sneered more.

Melinda wondered if that was his only facial expression.

"Pity, it must feel liberating to be around the Girl-Who-Lived," Lucius began, and before Melinda could stop him he'd reached into her cauldron and pulled out one of the copies of her school books she'd bought – she'd given the free ones to Ginny.

"It must be frustrating, knowing that you'll never be able to buy your own daughter something of this...quality," Lucius drawled, holding the book in his hand.

"I know I do the best I can for my children, Malfoy, and they know that as well," Mr. Weasley snapped, and Lucius snorted.

"Have your book back girl," Lucius said thrusting it back into the cauldron with her other books.

She glared again, she really didn't like this man.

"Know that it's not the best you could afford, while your friends are not so fortunate."

The words were said mockingly and Melinda feared a fight would break out when Lucius turned to Draco.

"Come Draco, we can't keep your mother waiting," he stated and left, Draco sneering at them one last time before following.

Five minutes latter the Weasleys, plus Melinda left for home.

Melinda never noticed the black book with a gold name that had been slipped into her cauldron by Malfoy. She wouldn't realize what it could do for many months.

**xXx**

"The car," Ron had said.

Melinda wished nothing more than for the chance to go back to that moment and slap him around the head and say, NO!

Unfortunately, she had not done so and could not change the past. It was no real surprise when the bad luck struck. Zeus may not realize who she was in his domain, but fate sure did.

First, the invisibility booster had busted. She was pretty sure they'd been seen.

Second, they'd landed on the train tracks, in front of the train and nearly died.

Third, they'd lost control of the car and she'd nearly fallen when her side of the cars door flew open.

Everything seem fine after that, until they reached Hogwarts. Who knew they kept a tree that hit back on the grounds? Who knew they could be that stupid.

Ron had broken his wand, she had told him they were lucky it wasn't their necks. Then they'd went to the feast or tried to and ended up in Snape's office and with plenty of detention.

"Just our luck," Melinda muttered after they left the office after having sandwiches and pumpkin juice. "First day back and we already have detention."

"Yeah, but what I want to know is why the barrier closed," Ron said. "That's not supposed to happen."

"I don't know, but I think I might have a hunch," Melinda said, frowning.

Ron looked at her and his eyes widened slightly.

"You think it's Dobby?"

"He did say he would protect me, and house elf magic is different from ours from what I've read."

Ron nodded.

"You need to be careful with all those books mate, you'll turn into Mione."

Melinda chuckled, just as they came to a stop at the Portrait, only to find Hermione waiting. After a minute or two of ranting Hermione sighed.

"Neville's inside, waiting for us," Hermione said. "We should go and join him."

"What's the password?" Ron asked and Hermione blinked.

"It's wattlebird," she replied.

The Portrait swung opened and they entered.

Even if it was the first night back, Melinda was already wondering if this would be her last adventure for the year. She sort of hoped so, she'd had enough adventure over the summer.

That night she sat in bed with the black diary she'd found in her cauldron after they'd returned from Diagon Alley. She hadn't written in it yet, but she for some reason felt connected with the thing.

On the cover in gold lettering was a name; T. M. Riddle.


	8. The Years Before: Year Two III

**AN: Sorry it took so long, but this chapter was very important to me so I wanted to take my time. **

**Hopefully you all enjoy the twist and turns I'll take you on this chapter. **

**Anyways please let me know what you all think, and also want to thank everyone for the reviews so far.**

**Enjoy and R&R!**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 8: The Years Before: Year Two III.**

The first week of term was probably the strangest of her life.

For one thing she'd met Luna Lovegood.

The girl in a nutshell was... complex. Some thought her to be some complete lune, but Melinda knew better. It could have something to do with the conversation she'd had with the girl in the library.

Ginny had asked Melinda for some help with the homework assigned by McGonagall and Snape – the only two teachers to give real assignments the first week of school.

Melinda didn't mind helping, but she'd been shocked to Atlantis by Luna.

"How strange, I never thought I'd meet a real life mermaid with legs," Luna had said and Melinda blinked at the girl.

Luna was a first year like Ginny, but while she spent her time with Ginny, and a few others Melinda couldn't honestly name, she was a Ravenclaw.

She was ivory skinned, with wide silver-gray eyes with wisdom, yet a dreamy look to them, and long wavy white-blonde hair.

"Uh, Luna..." Ginny trailed off, looking between Luna and Melinda confused. "Mel isn't a mermaid."

Melinda grew pale.

"Oh, but you're only looking with your eyes Gin," Luna said, smiling. "She's like me, divine."

Ginny's eyes widened.

"You mean she's..."

"A daughter of the sea god," Luna said. "It's so unusual, I was sure they had sworn off demigod children years ago."

"How do you know all of this," Melinda demanded.

Luna blinked.

"I'm a demigod as well. My mother you see, well everyone assumes she was Selene Lovegood, but that's not entirely true. My mother was Vör, Norse goddess of wisdom and known as the all knowing one."

Melinda gaped at the blonde.

"Wait, Norse? They actually do exist than, I mean I've read about them. Odin, Thor, Loki... but I just assumed they were the Norse's take on the Greeks."

Luna smiled dreamily.

"No, many demigods believe that though. Truth is back before the Titan's of this world even existed the ones who created it all... Chaos made more than one set of gods. But he knew that they wouldn't be able to live peacefully together, so when he made the universe he made parallels, what scientist might think of as alternate dimensions or worlds. They basically sit beside each others, connected only by the thinnest of threads and the only big difference is the gods which preside over that world."

"So...how are you here?" Melinda asked.

"Sometimes gods get bored and visit other worlds. Sometimes they have children while there and seeing as we must be raised by our mortal parents we're left there. When we're old enough to know who we are and train we're given a special way of getting to our home world and camp. Some never go though, some move over permanently. While there may be thousands of demigods in the world you'll only find a hundred or so miss-placed demigods."

"That's not in my grimoire," Melinda muttered, amazed. "How does Ginny know?"

"I was attacked by a monster when I was seven," Luna said. "I was with Ginny at the time."

"I can see through the mist," Ginny said, flushing slightly.

"Oh," Melinda said.

Ginny nodded.

"Then there's Percy," she began, biting her lip.

"What about him?" Melinda asked.

"He's a child of Tyr, Norse god of war," Luna said nonchalantly.

Melinda blinked.

"I didn't see that coming."

That was putting it lightly, Percy Weasley never acted like what she expected from a son of a god of war, Norse demigod or not.

"Only I know he's only our half-brother. Mom was sort of ashamed she went out on dad, but dad's always known Percy wasn't his. He loves him as his own, even blood adopted him to prove it."

Melinda blinked.

"Blood adopted?"

Ginny nodded.

"It's why he looks enough like a Weasley to fool everyone. It's ancient, but the child has to be two years of age to preform the ritual or you chance hurting them, or doing serious damage to their blood. I don't know the exact reasoning behind it."

Melinda nodded, that must be why James hadn't adopted her that way as well. They'd died before there was time.

**xXx**

It wasn't until the second week into term she began writing in the diary, and to her surprise it began writing back.

At first she'd thought of throwing it out, but it seemed harmless enough. What could a book possibly do?

_Hello, _she wrote_, My name is Melinda Potter. _

Before she could continue the words disappeared. She gaped at the book and then in front of her eyes words reappeared.

_Hello Melinda Potter, my name is Tom Riddle. _

After that conversations between her and Tom became frequent. She felt connected to him and told him everything she couldn't tell her friends.

_You're a Half-Blood than... _

Melinda bit her lip, but realized he meant that in the magical way.

_Yes, _she wrote_. My mom was a muggleborn, my dad was a Pureblood. _

_Oh, do you have anymore siblings. _

Melinda bit her lip again, a nervous habit.

_I have a little brother, but he's only my half-brother. He lives in America with his mother. I live with my mother's muggle sister, her husband and my cousin. _

_Muggles, that sounds terrible. _

_I hate them. They're cruel, and petty and annoying. Until about two years ago they made me sleep in a cupboard. _

Melinda wasn't sure why she was saying these things. She didn't mean to, but it just kept flowing. Until the only real secret she had was the fact she was a demigod.

Even though Tom was a good listener and even told her things about himself.

She felt for him, living in an orphanage all his life. She had realized early on that he must have been bullied at some point or level. Being considered a freak was something she was used to and she lived with her relatives.

What would have happened had she lived with a home full of troubled and orphaned children?

While they were surprisingly similar they were also different.

For one Melinda hated one set of muggles, Tom seemed to condemn them all.

_What about your friends Mel, have you told them any of this? _

_No, they already look at me strange when I call them muggles. They wouldn't understand, especially not Hermione. She's a muggleborn after all. _

It had sounded harsher then she'd meant it.

**xXx**

Severus Snape had been friends with Lily Potter... no Evans... since his childhood.

She'd been his saving grace away from the misery his mother endured from his father. The nightmare that he put up with living with Tobias Snape, his father.

The day their friendship had ended, the worst mistake of his life, was also the worst day of his life. He'd lost her forever, and to add insult to injury she'd begun dating James Potter a little over a year later.

Married him not long after they'd graduated from Hogwarts and then the news that she had miraculously conceived a child.

It was a great shock when the birth announcement introduced Melinda Pearl Potter instead of Harry James Potter – the name they had chosen for the son they'd originally thought they were having.

Though he saw Lily's face at one of those occasions and she hadn't been convinced her baby was a boy.

_'It could still be a girl James.'_ Lily's words echoed in his mind.

Severus wasn't sure if it was a relief or not that Melinda Potter looked more like her mother than her father. In all actuality she looked nothing like James Potter, but he still had to hate her.

Not because of James Potter as much as for his cover.

He couldn't be seen being kind to the Girl-Who-Lived. He didn't know if he could even if he tried, she had eyes so similar, nearly identical to Lily and her hair fell in similar waves, even if a different color.

"Potter," he snapped as the girl entered.

He noticed she looked tired, as if she'd been up all night.

"You're late."

"Sorry sir, I overslept," she said.

Snape looked at the girl as she sat down beside Weasley. This wasn't something he'd seen before concerning Lily's daughter.

The girl looked pale, and had large purple bruises under her eyes from no sleep. She looked almost as if something had drained the life from her.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," he finally said.

He'd keep an eye on her, he did after all promise Lily... and later Dumbledore. The first he didn't mind, the latter drove him mad.

"Now turn to page 794 in your books."

**xXx**

If Melinda thought first year DADA was a joke she was in for a rude awaking.

Compared to Lockhart, Quirrell was a genius. If the man asked her one more time what his favorite color was, or how many times he'd won witch weekly, she was going to curse him.

She didn't know many curses and she wasn't sure if her abilities inherited from Hecate went that far but she'd pray to her great-grandmother for an intervention if she had to.

Personally, she was surprised the man wasn't a squib with how bad he was at magic.

Over the first three weeks of term Melinda found herself becoming annoyed easily. She'd nearly bitten Neville's head off when he asked her if she was alright, and when Hermione suggested going to Madam Pomfrey for some sort of dreamless sleep or sleeping drought, she had nearly went nuclear on the bushy haired girl.

The only one who even attempted to suggest things anymore was Luna. The girl was strangely persistent.

"You should sleep more, Princess," Luna's dreamy voice had said as she sat across from her during study hall for the first through third years the third week of term.

Melinda's head snapped up and she stopped writing mid sentence.

_Lin? _

Melinda's eyes widened as the words from Tom appeared on the now blank page and she quickly shut the book.

"Did Hermione, Ron and Neville send you?" Melinda asked.

Luna stared at her with silver eyes.

"Of course not, they don't exactly know I exist. I don't have many friends, Princess."

Melinda frowned.

"I'm sorry and I'm not a princess."

Luna chuckled.

"Sure you are, your a daughter of the sea king, aren't you?'

Melinda grimaced.

So she was, but she hadn't heard even a vapor of Poseidon since the end of her first year when he helped her resist her fatal flaw.

Tom knew she wasn't a Potter by blood now, she'd cracked under lack of sleep and bitterness towards her father and let it out. Tom had been kind and given her words of encouragement.

He didn't think she was wrong to be bitter to her father, he'd abandoned her after all. She wasn't sure if she'd call it abandoned, he didn't have much of a choice but she couldn't tell Tom her father was a god.

Some part of her was still weary of the diary and felt that no matter how much she liked Tom she couldn't spill something like that to a talking diary.

"You need to be careful," Luna said suddenly.

"What?"

She nodded.

"Your aura, it's wrong. It's all...misshapen. Be careful."

Melinda watched as the blonde demigod stood and turned, walking over to where she could see Ginny writing what she assumed was a homework assignment.

Melinda looked down at her diary and bit her lip. Running a hand over the cover she felt a bit better but strange at the same time.

She was just so tired all the time... but no matter how much she slept it never seemed enough.

Standing Melinda packed up her stuff and headed to her dorm. She had detention tonight with Lockhart for the whole driving a car to school thing in a hour.

She never noticed her eyes flash red as she left.

"Wait, Melinda!" Draco called after her a few minutes later.

Melinda stopped short, blinking and turned. She glared at the blond boy in front of her, who panted as he stopped running to catch his breath.

"What do you want Draco?" she demanded.

Draco winced.

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

He scowled but nodded.

"About what happened on the Quidditch Pitch. I shouldn't have called Granger a Mudbl – well you know," he answered.

Melinda frowned deeply.

"You're right, you shouldn't have."

"Can...can you forgive me?" Draco asked.

"Why should I? You've shown me nothing to prove that you're different."

"I know, and I'm trying, but my father." Draco sighed. "He's not the kind of man to make an enemy of, and I need him to think I can't think for myself. I can't loose my inheritance, if I do anything before I'm seventeen he'd disown me and then I'll have to leave the manor and I won't leave my mother with him."

"I don't understand. How...I mean you actually listened to me about thinking for yourself?"

Draco flushed.

"Of course. You were right, and my mother and I talked over the summer. She told me some of the things he's done over the years, like when he worked for You-know-who. But what really made me realize I didn't want to be like my father was the conversation I heard him having before school."

"What conversation?" Melinda asked.

"He was talking to one of his old friends about a plot to get Dumbledore fired, and purge the school of the mud-muggleborns. I'm not as stupid as I seem, I know he means kill, and I may not like muggles or muggleborns, but I don't want to kill them either. If the Dark Lord returns than he'll expect me to join him when I'm older."

"Did he say what the plot was?"

Draco shook his head.

"No. He just said the artifact had been planted and the plan would be flawless."

Melinda nodded, her hold tightening on her diary for some strange reason.

"Okay, well thank you for telling me Draco." Melinda smiled a little at him. "I do forgive you, but I can't promise my friends will."

Draco nodded.

"Well they're your friends. I'm interested in being friends with you Mel, not them."

"Fair enough," she said. "I've gotta get going. I have detention in about thirty minutes."

Melinda waved to Draco as she ran off and the last thing she remembered before arriving at Lockhart's office was arriving in the Dormitory, and then a pain in her head.

**xXx**

Melinda was scared.

For the first time in a long while she was terrified of not only herself but of what was happening. She didn't understand, how had this happened?

Blood... feathers... blood... feathers...

She was covered in red, thick blood – which she had no idea the origins of – and chicken feathers, or were they rosters?

Halloween was always terrible for her, she just couldn't believe she had done something like this and couldn't remember how she came to be this way. What had she done, what had she killed?

Tom, she thought, maybe he'd know!

First though she had to get rid of the blood and feathers. Pretty soon everyone would be back from dinner, she didn't have much time.

With urgency Melinda rushed to the bathroom and showered, making sure to wash away everything.

As she sat on her bed in new clean robes she couldn't help but try to remember what she'd done last.

She'd left Lockhart's office and begun heading to the feast and that was the last thing she remembered. Pulling out the diary Melinda began to write.

_Tom, I need your help._

The words disappeared and a moment later words appeared again.

_How so Lin?_

_I think I've done something terrible, but I can't remember what. Do you know what I was doing after I left Lockharts?_

The words came slower but nonetheless they came.

_I'm sorry Lin, I'm not sure. _

_Oh, _Melinda sighed. _What was it you wanted me to do again? _

_What do you mean Lin?_

_This morning, you asked me if I would do something for you. What was it? _

_Don't worry about it love, it's already done. _

Melinda frowned but didn't say anything. She then shut the book and put it under her mattress as Hermione and others came into the dorm.

"Melinda, thank gods!" Hermione cried, hugging her shocked friend.

"Mione, what's wrong?" Melinda asked, genuinely confused.

"It was terrible!" Parvati cried.

"The blood it was everywhere and poor, poor Mrs. Norris," Lavender shuddered as she and Parvati ran to the bathroom.

Melinda blinked, her eyes wide.

"What?" Melinda muttered.

Blood...Mrs. Norris. Had she killed filches cat...was that where the blood had come from?

Hermione bit her lip.

"Ron, Neville and I were looking for you and ran across Mrs. Norris and Nearly Headless Nick. They looked dead, well deader, but they were really petrified."

"Petrified, like stone?" Melinda asked, thinking of Medusa.

"No, just scared stiff. Then everyone arrived and..." Hermione stopped, a look of fear and disgust on her face. "On the wall, there was writing. Enemies of the heir beware. The Chamber of Secrets has been opened."

"Blood, they said something about blood?" Melinda choked out.

"It was written in blood."

The next thing Melinda knew she was on the floor, puking.

**xXx**

Hermione had somehow tricked Binns into telling them what the Chamber of Secrets was and Melinda wasn't sure what to think.

Had she been behind the message on the wall, or was it just a coincidence. She kept blacking out though, and Tom always reassured her, but she was loosing faith in her diary. What if it was serious?

Hagrid had told them of his rosters death, and it had made her pale. The feathers could have easily come from them and it would explain the blood.

She wanted to talk to her friends about it but every time she tried she couldn't. She was sleeping less, nightmares began taking over her dreams.

As much as she wanted to trust Tom she found she no longer could.

"I'm sorry, Tom," she said, and threw the diary into the toilet – she didn't have the heart to try to destroy it by other means.

She wasn't even sure if Tachýs would do anything to it, even though it was just a diary.

She watched the water swirl around the diary for a moment before turning and running. She had a Quidditch match in a few hours and Hermione, Neville and Ron were convinced that Draco was the heir of Slytherin.

She thought that notion was ridiculous. But she had still decided to help them brew the Polyjuice potion in Myrtle's bathroom.

With one last look at the toilets where she'd thrown the diary Melinda ran to the Quidditch Pitch.

"Ready Potter?" Oliver Wood asked as they walked towards the pitch for the game, dressed in the Quidditch robes.

"Yeah," Melinda replied. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Good, just think like that and we'll win the cup this year," Oliver grinned.

The game was thankfully pretty peaceful.

Well, besides the Slytherin's team cheating, or attempted cheating. Melinda was pretty sure they were trying to knock her off her broom, and Draco was attempting to keep up his I-hate-Potter charade.

She felt bad for her friend – yes she had begun seeing Draco as her friend since he confronted her after the incident with calling Hermione a Mudblood.

"What..." Melinda gasped and rolled on her broom.

The Bludger shooting past where her head once was.

"What was that!?" Oliver cried, worried for his seeker.

"I don't know," she said.

"George, Fred keep an eye on Mel!" Oliver ordered and the game continued.

Through the whole game Melinda was ranting to herself about rogue Bludgers and wondering if maybe Zeus had found a way to punish her for being in his domain.

"What the hell is wrong with that Bludger, Potter!?" Draco asked as they flew side by side after the snitch.

"I don't know!" she yelled back, holding her hand out for the golden ball.

Just as her hands closed around it there was a sickening crack as her arm broke, the snitch still in her clinched fist as she plummeted onto the ground.

She lay on her back in pain, her arm searing like an open wound – she'd had some open wounds before, she wasn't sure what felt worse. Broken bones or open wounds.

"Styx!" she cried as the Bludger came down at her again.

She rolled, nearly crying as she put pressure on her broken arm. As it went back up into the sky again and came back she prepared to roll again but Snape had already stormed onto the field with others, raised his wand and blasted the Bludger to oblivion.

She breathed a sigh of relief as her friends gather around her and she held up the snitch.

"GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Lee Jordan cried from the stands.

"Move aside, now I'll take care of this," Lockhart said, grinning and Melinda's eyes widened.

"No, not him. Anymore but him."

"She doesn't know what she's saying," Lockhart laughed. "This will only take a second."

Melinda couldn't do anything as the defense professor pointed his wand at her broken arm and said a strange spell.

Her arm glowed with a blue light and the pain was gone... unfortunately so were the bones. Seeing her arm look like a flab of flesh and what was obviously muscle and blood on the inside made her feel strange.

Then her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted.

Who could blame her though, the bones had been removed.

She woke up in the hospital wing a few hours later. Madam Pomfrey gave her a calming drought and then Skelegrow.

Melinda knew instantly she never wanted to have to regrow her bones again. It was painful, like a million tinny needles sticking her from the inside out.

After visiting hours ended, and her friends had left after telling her how Snape had chewed Lockhart up and spat him out for removing the bones in her arm, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

For the first time in months Melinda slept peacefully and actually felt rested when she woke up the next day at noon.

**xXx**

Melinda was forced to stay in the hospital wing for nearly two weeks regrowing her bones and Madam Pomfrey had been shocked to discover a problem with her magical core.

It was oddly low, as if she'd been using a lot of magic lately.

Madam Pomfrey thought it was probably a reason why she slept so long – nearly twenty-four hours – the first night. It also had something to do with her lack of sleep and irritable mood.

She was unable to figure out how or why it had occurred.

But Poppy was determined to keep her as long as possible to repair the damage and make sure nothing would happen to her. In this time she got a visit from a familiar house elf.

"Why must you make things difficult, Melinda Potter?"

Melinda jumped at the familiar timid voice at the foot of her bed, staring down at her. Two large lime colored eyes. Dobby.

"Dobby," Melinda hissed, sitting up with a little difficulty. "What are you doing here?"

"Protecting Melinda Potter, like I said I would," Dobby replied, blinking innocently.

Melinda's face scrunched up in thought and then she gasped.

"You! You closed the bearer on Ron and I! You sent that rogue Bludger after me!"

"Yes ma'am, Dobby did not want to resort to such things but it was the only way to make you realize that Hogwarts is not safe."

"You need to get out Dobby, before I find some water and drown you with it," Melinda hissed, glaring at the house elf.

"Dobby is used to death threats, Dobby gets them everyday from master."

Melinda sighed.

"Look, you nearly killed me with that Bludger and I told you I'd be fine on my own. But...the things you talked about. Does it have to do with the Chamber of Secrets?"

Dobby looked around and nodded.

"It does... master plots very bad things for this year."

Melinda blinked before looking at Dobby as if she'd just realized he was there.

"Your master... you're the Malfoy's house elf, aren't you?"

Dobby squealed, his eyes wide.

"Dobby mustn't say, Dobby mustn't!"

"I get it Dobby," Melinda rushed, trying to calm him down.

She was about to ask something else when the doors opened and she gasped, laying back down quickly and peaking through barely opened eyes.

Rushing into the hospital wing was Poppy, Dumbledore and McGonagall. With them was a small body holding a camera. She fought back a gasp, it was Collin Creevey.

"There has been another attack, I am sad to say," Dumbledore's ancient voice said.

"A student this time," McGonagall said, shaking her head. "What are we to tell everyone Albus?"

"The truth is always the best, Minerva," Dumbledore said grievously. "Our students I fear are in great danger."

Melinda watched as the elder wizard took the camera and opened it, probably to see if Collin had gotten anything on it, but the camera basically exploded, a puff of smoke emitting from it.

"So is it true Albus, has it been opened again?" Poppy asked, both Minerva and Poppy could recall the first time it was opened.

"I am afraid so, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened, again," Dumbledore said. "Though how I can not be sure."

Melinda closed her eyes completely as she laid in stunned silence.

She was released two days later and met her friends in the girls bathroom. Hermione and Melinda sat in front of the cauldron, side by side as they brewed it very carefully.

Neville sat against a wall and Ron leaned against a bathroom stall.

"The Chamber has been open before," Hermione said as she added one of the ingredients with very precise measurements. "But how can that be? There should be records of it if that was so, in the old prophets in the library. Probably even in books."

Melinda shook her head.

"Unless it was covered up."

"My gran always said that the Ministry wasn't as just as it should be," Neville said, nodding. "Mel's right. If the Ministry didn't want it getting out than they've covered it up."

"That's disgusting," Hermione said, her brown eyes narrowed.

"For once I can't help but agree with Mione," Ron said. "It explains why dad never likes to mix work with family time."

"Well I know I won't ever work with them," Melinda said, shaking her head.

"Probably a good idea, though there aren't many jobs not with the Ministry," Neville said.

"Who says I have to get a magical job," she said and Hermione nodded.

"Exactly," Hermione said proudly.

"So, we know the Chamber has been opened before," Neville said, changing the subject.

"Right," Melinda said.

"We know it's Malfoy..." Neville was cut off by Ron.

"Of course it's Malfoy. Don't you see, Lucius Malfoy must have opened it fifty years ago and now he has Draco doing it."

Melinda sighed.

"It's not Draco guys," she said.

"Look, it has to be. I mean he hates muggleborns," Ron argued.

"He doesn't, but I'm not arguing about this with you Ron," Melinda snapped.

"Whatever," Ron said, sighing. "So, why are we brewing this in a bathroom? What if someone walks in to take a leak?"

Hermione looked at him offended while Neville and Melinda snorted.

"No one ever used this bathroom, Ronald," Hermione replied. "Not with Myrtle here."

"Myrtle?" Neville asked. "Who's Myrtle?"

"Moaning Myrtle," Melinda chuckled. "She's the ghost that haunts the bathroom."

"Oh," Ron said tonelessly. "Of course, how silly of me not to know that."

**xXx**

Melinda knew she should have never agreed to go to the Dueling Club.

But she was desperate for something new, and maybe to learn something useful for once. After she'd gotten rid of the diary things hadn't changed much.

Sure she no longer blacked out anymore, but she now heard voices. She'd heard them before, faintly from what she remembered but now it was more constant. It was always the same thing; kill.

Now this. She wished she had just left the snake alone, but she couldn't help it. She knew Draco had lost his temper when he'd summoned it, and she wasn't afraid of snakes.

They were kind to her, probably because of her great-grandmother and the gift to speak to them she'd inherited.

She'd calmed it down, stopping it from attacking Justin but now they looked at her as if she was the devil himself.

Saving the serpent from certain death hadn't helped anything either. When Professor Snape had went to kill it she had reacted on instinct and dove for the snake, picking it up and moving away just as the spell hit the spot the snake once coiled up on.

The cobra was in her debt according to her new friend. She would bond herself to Melinda and become a sort of familiar – not the kind most common since she already had a familiar in Hedwig.

Speaking of Hedwig, the snowy owl had not been happy about having a new sister – her new serpents words not Melinda's.

"You're a Parselmouth!" Neville gasped as they followed her into the common room.

Melinda turned sharply, biting her lip.

"A what?" Melinda asked, deciding to play dumb.

"You can talk to snakes," Hermione clarified, rolling her eyes. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Yeah, do you know how bad this is?" Ron asked.

"Bad? Look, all I did was tell Sesha not to attack Justin," Melinda argued, getting annoyed.

Snake-charming was a very revered talent, few descendant – children or legacies – got this ability.

"That's what you told it," Ron said, breathing a sigh of relief.

Neville was staring at where she had Sesha curled around her left arm. The serpent, a very beautiful serpent if she did say so herself, had it's head tilted up some to gaze at her friends in contempt.

"There is also...Sesha," Hermione hesitated, stumbling over the name. "Serpent who symbolizes time."

"What?" Neville and Ron asked, confused.

Melinda smiled.

"It's what her name means, it's Hindu, I think."

_::It is Mistress,::_ Sesha said from her arm. _::Tell the bushy haired one she is very intelligent. She smells of wisdom, faintly but wisdom nonetheless.::_

Melinda blinked at the golden-brown eyed serpent and shook her head.

"Sesha says your very intelligent and wise Hermione."

Hermione's jaw dropped for a moment before she composed herself.

"Well, thank you Sesha." Then she turned back to Melinda. "Anyways, the fact your saved the sna—uh Sesha from Professor Snape's spell didn't win you any points with the others."

"What do you mean? I couldn't let him kill her."

"But she's just a snake," Ron said and Sesha hissed angrily at him, making the redhead jump back.

Melinda chuckled.

"Sesha says to watch your mouth hairless-red-monkey."

Ron flushed in anger but didn't say anything, while the others tried to stop from laughing.

"Anyways, what Hermione means to say is that everyone is gonna think your the heir of Slytherin now," Neville said.

"But I'm not!" Melinda said, and frowned.

She knew she wasn't, though she also knew Salazar Slytherin was one of the most famous sons of Hecate. That made him her second cousin, that sounded about right.

Though the fact Salazar Slytherin and the other founders were demigods had never been known.

At least not in this time and age. Any records of it or people who'd been privy to this information was long dead or destroyed.

"Salazar Slytherin lived thousands of years ago Mel," Hermione said, sighing. "For all we know, you could be."

Melinda sighed.

"Are you going to keep that thing?" Neville asked...and then seeing Sesha's narrowed look and gaze he gulped. "I mean Sesha. She'd sort of beautiful, you know in serpent way."

_::Flattery will not stop me from eating you gardener.::_ Sesha said calmly, slightly amused.

Melinda smirked.

_::How did you know Neville worked with gardens?:: _

Sesha gave a snake like snort.

_::I am a snake Mistress, I can smell the earth and plant life on him. Just as I can smell remnant of a war godling on the red-monkey and faint traces of wisdom on the bushy haired one.:: _

Melinda blinked.

_::You can tell demigods from regular mortals.::_

_::Of course, I am a magical cobra. Specially bred in Egypt, brought to this realm by a Egyptian goddess eons ago.::_ Sesha replied.

_::Oh. So you can smell Percy on Ron and wisdom on Hermione. Does that mean Hermione is a demigod?:: _Sesha sniffed.

_::Have the bushy haired one hold me, I can not tell from here.:: _

Melinda noticed her friends looking at her strangely, a bit of curiosity and fear in all three. Melinda rolled her eyes.

"I'm not plotting your death guys, calm down," she said. "Mione, Sesha wants you to hold her for a moment."

Hermione paled.

"Uh, why? Not to be rude but...I'm not really good around snakes."

_::I will not bite, I swear it on the Nile.:: _Melinda didn't know why the Nile was something special to swear by but figured it had something to do with the Egyptian gods and did not ask.

"She swears on the Nile she won't bite you," Melinda said.

"The Nile?" Ron asked, confused.

"The river Nile," Hermione clarified, stepping forward and holding out her arm a bit hesitantly. "It's a river in Egypt. Really Ron, pick up a book and read sometime, you might learn something."

"Whatever," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms and Hermione bit her lip as Sesha slithered up her arm and curled around it, her head resting on the back of Hermione's hand.

They all look on in fascination as the snake, a rather striking golden-light brown color and it's strangely golden-brown eyes a bit darker than it's body.

It was a young snake, not even five feet yet – about two feet at her current age. Hermione bit her lip as Sesha flicked her tongue out a few times, striking the back of her hand.

"What's it doing?" Ron demanded.

"Scenting her, so she knows it for the future," Melinda said, not completely a lie.

_::If you wish Mistress I could do that for the other two as well.:: _Sesha commented. _::The bushy haired one is not a demigod, but she has godly blood, faint but still there. A legacy, she has probably been blessed by this goddess as well. From the trace of wisdom I'd assume it to be Athena or Minerva – Greek or Roman.:: _

"Okay," Melinda said and then turned to Ron and Neville. "Sesha wishes to scent you two as well."

"We have to hold it?" Ron gulped, his eyes wide.

"It's poisonous," Neville said. "It's a Egyptian cobra you know."

"The snake that is said to have killed Cleopatra," Hermione gasped, staring at Sesha with slight fear.

_::Oh please, Cleopatra had it coming,:: _Sesha hissed.

If snakes could roll their eyes Melinda was sure Sesha would have.

_::You knew Cleopatra?::_ Melinda asked, raising an eyebrow as Neville decided to be brave and took Sesha next.

Sesha rested on Neville's arm and scented him before looking at her new Mistress.

_::I am older than I look.::_ Sesha began, moving on to a more hesitant Ron. _::I am a magical cobra, a daughter of the advisers of the Egyptian cobra goddess, Wadjet. I was one of the first magical snakes brought to this realm, around the time of Perseus and Medusa.:: _

Sesha scented Ron and then Melinda held out her arm for her new friend.

_::I was there when Medusa's blood dropped onto the sands and created more similar to me, but lamer. I was there when Cleopatra ruled and I was there when she died. I was one of the snakes smuggled into her chambers. I did not bite her though, I could smell the godly blood on her, but I could also not do anything to stop my lamer brethren.:: _

Melinda blinked.

_::How the hades did Draco summon you?::_

Sesha chuckled, or at least it sounded that way to her. To the others it probably sounded like a long strangled hiss.

_::I am to be your bonded. I was told by my mother, Sagara, that one day I would become the advisor of someone worthy, and when that happened I would begin to age more appropriately, to reach my full size. You see being a magical snake I grow slower, but being one of the very first means I need a companion, a magician like yourself to finish growing. I needed a Mistress, I suppose this could simply be fate.:: _

"What are you two talking about?" Hermione asked, looking very annoyed at not knowing.

"We were discussing her past, where she came from. She's pretty old, a magical snake but she hasn't finish growing yet because she hasn't had a Mistress until now."

"Wait, until now?" Ron asked, his eyes wide in horror.

"You mean you've bonded to Sesha, like a familiar!?" Neville gasped.

"Yeah, it seems so," Melinda said, nodding.

"She's poisonous, they probably won't let her stay," Hermione said, biting her lip.

_::Very poisonous, my venom can kill within a minute if I release enough. Otherwise it can paralyze, and of course cause effects like headaches, dizziness, abdomen pain, diarrhea, vomiting...:: _Sesha bragged, trailing off.

_::Yeah, I get it Sesha. Is the first two common for Egyptian cobra's?::_

_::Well, I don't think my lamer relatives can paralyze or control the flow of venom like I, but I'm pretty sure the rest they can do. What they can't do is get up to twelve feet long, I think they max out around nine feet.:: _Sesha sounded so smug Melinda could practically feel it thicken the air.

"Can you stop talking to it?" Ron asked, shivering.

_::No, my Mistress can talk to me if she pleases hairless-red-monkey!:: _Sesha hissed.

It was pretty clear that out of her friends Sesha had the most problem with Ron.

Melinda sighed.

"No, and I've read that all bonded familiars must be allowed to stay and I am a Parselmouth. I can control her, and she'll listen to me since I am her Mistress."

"Does she call you that?" Hermione asked, her face scrunched up. "It's not like slavery is it, because I don't think that's rig – "

"Don't go there Mione, and I tried getting her to call me Mel or Lin, but she's determined that I am her Mistress and if it makes her happy then why bother," Melinda answered. "Now I think I have to go see the Headmaster about Sesha. I don't need anyone freaking because I still have her."

**xXx**

Melinda could tell the Headmaster had been hesitant to allow her to keep Sesha, but she'd promised to keep her under control.

There was also the fact Sesha was proven to be her familiar – even if it was a slightly different kind of bond then the one she shared with Hedwig. Under magical law they had to allow Sesha sanctuary in the school with her.

This didn't make it easy though, the students were mostly scared of her. She only had Hermione, Neville, Ron, Luna, Daphne and Daphne's little sister, Astoria.

She hadn't talked to the two Slytherins since the first week of school and had felt terrible, but both had talked to her before class after the dueling club to let her know they didn't believe she was the heir.

Astoria was a first year, and looked a lot like Daphne but with blonde hair and hazel eyes. The girl was upbeat and not what you'd expect from a Slytherin. But a good friend.

Ginny had began distancing herself since slightly before the Quidditch game, and Melinda had been so busy and before that... She tried not to think about Tom these days. It only hurt to remember her friend and what she'd had to do.

It was Valentines day when she nearly had a heart attack. Ginny had been going to leave when a group of Slytherin's bumped into her, making her drop her things.

"Hey, leave her alone," Melinda said, walking over quickly.

The group saw her, Sesha raised up to attention on her left arm and they ran.

_::That's right, run from my Mistress. She is powerful, and I am mighty alongside her!:: _

Melinda chuckled.

_::You have a huge ego my friend.:: _

Melinda didn't miss Ginny's flinch when she heard her speak the snake language.

"You alright?" Melinda asked and Ginny nodded, picking up her books.

Melinda bent down to help when she saw the black book held in Ginny's hand.

"Where did you get that?" she breathed and Ginny looked from the diary with fear to Melinda.

"I—I found it," she said and then stood, grabbing her bag. "I've gotta go!"

Melinda watched her go, fearful.

Ginny had Tom's dairy.

The attacks were still going on.

What did this mean?

Melinda only knew one person that might know. And she didn't think Hecate or Poseidon would be any help if she could get a hold of them.

They had already infiltrated the Slytherin common room over Christmas break – well Neville and Ron had.

She had not wanted to, Draco was her friend and she knew he wasn't behind this. She trusted her instincts even if they hurt her in the end.

The next months were hell for her, she knew the diary had to have something to do with this. She was terrified Tom would tell Ginny her secrets but she didn't want to take it back.

She had just gotten back to semi-normal and she didn't think she could handle the blackouts and wondering what it was Tom wasn't telling her.

So she didn't do anything, she just sat back and allowed her friend to be in danger. She kept telling herself that Tom wouldn't hurt Ginny, he'd never hurt her... had he?

It was during one of the last Quidditch games of the school year tragedy struck. Hermione had realized something at lunch and had gone to look it up – Melinda was sure it had something to do with the the voices she heard but no one else could. It seemed familiar to her though, like she heard it all the time but still couldn't place it.

_::You're not crazy mistress,:: _Sesha said as she walked to the game with the others on the team. _::I hear it too... it sounds like a large brethren.::_

Melinda's eyes widened and she nearly stopped walking all together.

::A snake... you mean it could be a snake I am hearing?::

Sesha hissed.

_::It could be... if it is a serpent, it is one I have never crossed before. It sounds different, not lame.:: _

_::Sesha you do realize lame can mean many different things in this day and age?_::

_::Of course, I am not stupid mistress.:: _

Melinda chuckled, ignoring some of the fearful and unnerved looks she got. Oliver was about to burst into his speech when McGonagall appeared, a look of urgency on her wrinkled face.

"This game is canceled," she said and despite the complaints she dismissed everyone but Melinda.

"Not you Potter, we need to find Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom," she said and had her follow.

It wasn't that hard to find Ron and Neville, especially with Sesha's help – she had a great nose and tracking ability once she had a scent memorized.

Melinda didn't expect to see Hermione's petrified body in the hospital wing though.

"No, Hermione," Neville said as he came to her right side, Ron took her right and Melinda stood at the foot of the bed frozen in shock.

"Is she... alright?" Melinda asked.

"She's been petrified, she'll be fine once the cure is finished brewing," McGonagall answered, sympathy clear in her voice and on her face.

Melinda, Ron and Neville stayed for as long as Madam Pomfrey would allow before leaving.

Then things got worse, Penelope Clearwater was petrified along with Justin Finch-Fletchley, and some girl named Judith Swan – Sesha said she smelled of godly blood, possibly Aphrodite or Venus.

She was unsure of the difference between Greek and Roman.

It had come as a surprise to know that just as there was a Greek section of demigods there were still Romans. They were just separated to keep fights from breaking out.

She did find a bit in the grimoire from Hecate about it after she searched through it for that topic.

Seemed her great-grandmother had spelled it only to give her the information if she was looking for it. Clever, but she expected no less from Hecate.

"What's wrong with Percy?" Melinda asked that night after McGonagall had given a speech of new rules.

It seemed that if there were anymore attacks the school would be forced to close. Melinda couldn't believe it and wanted to do something to stop this.

It was why she'd sent Sesha to figure out where this serpent was hiding and traveling through.

The demigod son of the Weasley's was sitting alone with head in his hands. He looked upset, very upset. She had talked a little with him this year, but had not told the boy she knew he was a demigod.

He still seemed strange around her though, almost nervous or unsure.

"Penelope was a prefect and rumor has it, his girlfriend," Ron told her.

Melinda frowned, nodding.

"Oh, poor Percy."

"I'm more worried about us. The school can't close, it's the only school for magic in Britain," Ron said, almost whining.

"Beaubatons isn't so bad, my great aunt Europa went there," Neville said.

"Besides the pretty french witches?" Ron asked, shaking his head. "No thanks."

Melinda sighed.

"We have to do something."

"What?" Neville asked.

"We need to find the Chamber, I've sent Sesha on a scouting mission," Melinda began. "She thinks the voice I've been hearing is a serpent, a big one. Something she hasn't come across."

Ron and Neville stood up, pulling Melinda up as well.

"Than let's go," they said in unison and Melinda grinned amused.

She reached into her bag and pulled out the silvery cloak that once belonged to her father.

"I think it's time for another adventure guys," she said and they head to a secluded area and swung the cloak around them, leaving without anyone realizing it.

**xXx**

"Who has been taken Minerva?" Poppy asked.

Melinda, Neville and Ron all stood around a corner, watching as the professors conversed around a wall. On that wall was a bloody message.

Her skeleton will lay in the chamber forever.

Not exactly cheerful.

"Ginny Weasley," Minerva answered and Ron smothered a gasp, his eyes widening with his two companions.

They waited until the teachers all left the area before taking the cloak off and coming to stand in front of the wall with the message.

"Ginny," Ron said, fearful. "We have to save her, my family can't loose her! My mom would be killed, there hasn't been many females in the family."

Melinda had to wonder if that was the only reason the family would be upset, but that was cruel. She knew they loved their daughter and little sister, it was just her being the only female made her all that more special to them.

"We'll get her back Ron, I swear it," Melinda said.

_::Mistress! I bring news, it's wonderful news... or dreadful, depending,:: _Sesha hissed quickly, slithering as quickly as she could to her mistress.

Melinda turned to see the golden serpent and bent down to allow Sesha to slither up her arm. She didn't know what it was about her left arm that Sesha liked, but it was the arm she always rested on, and it was coincidentally the wrist Abyss was on. Maybe subconsciously her companion knew she needed her right arm for wielding Tachýs.

_::What is it Sesha?:: _she asked.

_::The serpent king is among us,::_ Sesha said.

_::Serpents have a king?::_ Melinda asked, shocked.

_::Not exactly, but this one is definitely a king. Older than any Basilisk still in existence. Older even than I, I'd say about...three thousand years, give or take.::_

_::Wow, how did Salazar Slytherin come across something like that? Hogwarts is only about one thousand years old.::_

_::You said he was your second cousin mistress, a child of Hecate? It is possible it was a gift from his mother then.:: _Sesha suggested.

_::I wonder if that means it'll listen to me,::_ Melinda wondered and her friends stared at her calmly, used to this by now.

"Well?" Ron asked.

"Sesha found out what it is," Melinda began. "A Basilisk, a very big one."

_::He is magnificent mistress,::_ Sesha said and if snakes could blush she was sure Sesha would.

_::He?::_ Melinda asked.

_::He talked to me, said his name was Set.:: _Sesha said, and Melinda blinked.

_::Isn't that a god...::_ Melinda tried to recall where she'd read it and Sesha chuckled.

_::Set, also known as Seth, was the Egyptian god of storms, the desert, and chaos. Brother of Osiris along with his murderer.:: _

_::I thought gods were unkillable?:: _Sesha hissed her amusement.

_::He wasn't exactly killed in the mortal sense. Just as gods can be hurt here they can be hurt there as well. Osiris was so badly hurt he was almost forced to fade, but his wife Isis reassembled Osiris' body and embalmed him. Osiris' son Horus sought revenge upon Set, Horus eventually took his father's place.:: _

Melinda nodded. _::Right, Osiris became the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. Horus was considered the sky god, king as well.:: _

Sesha nodded.

_::Very good mistress. I'll make you properly versed in mythology other than your own yet. Now I do believe we are wasting time. The location is in the girls bathroom, on a sink you'll find a snake engraving.:: _

Melinda nodded and turned to her friends.

"The Chamber is located in the girls bathroom," she began and then listened to Sesha add another detail. "Moaning Myrtles. We need to go, now.::

The boys nodded and they took off for the chamber.

Later Melinda would wonder why she didn't go to one of the professors instead but she for some reason knew this was her responsibility, her quest.

"Any movement and close your eyes right away," Melinda said.

_::You need not worry about it mistress, Set's stare is voluntary and the stare will only paralyze a speaker such as yourself temporarily. Not kill.::_ Melinda nodded, thankfully for Sesha's counsel.

Soon they came to a area of the underground cave like tunnels were a large snake skin rested.

"Wow, this could be priceless," Neville said, inspecting the skin.

"Really?" Melinda asked.

"Sure, they can use basilisk skin for battle robes or simply clothes. It's also used in very arcane potions," Neville explained.

"You've been spending to much time around Mione mate," Ron laughed and jumped as a movement caught his eyes and raised his wand.

Before he could think Ron fired the first spell he could think of, which happened to be a disarming spell.

Melinda moved back, Neville moving forward as the spell backfired with his already broken wand and he flew into the roof.

The next thing Melinda knew she was looking at a pile of rocks, cursing Ron for his overreaction to what was probably a rat.

"Are you alright?" Melinda asked, looking through the gap in the rocks blocking them.

"Yeah," Neville said. "Ron's a bit out of it though."

Melinda sighed.

_::Foolish red-monkey,::_ Sesha hissed, annoyed.

"I'll go on," Melinda called. "Stay here and try to get some of these rocks cleared away."

"Mel," Neville called. "Try not to die. You were my first friend."

Melinda smiled.

"You too Nev," she said and turned, walking quickly further into the tunnels.

_::We approach,::_ Sesha announced as they came upon a round vault like door with snakes carved into it.

"I see that," Melinda said, and then taking a deep breath she began. _::Open.:: _

The door hissed and the snakes began to move around the round door and then it popped open.

She found herself standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber – which really didn't do anything for her nerves.

Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the gloom that filled the place.

She couldn't find any reason anyone would like a place like this (except maybe privacy), much less build one. Looking around she bit her lip, her wand gripped tightly in her hand. Sesha was coiled tightly against her left arm, gazing around hungrily, looking for anything that might threaten her mistress.

"Where is she?" Melinda whispered and then between two pillars close to the carving of who she assumed was Salazar Slytherin lay Ginny. Her hair fanned out around her like a halo of fiery blood.

"Ginny!" she cried, running to the girl.

She placed her wand down and lifted the younger girl into her lap. She froze suddenly, feeling as if ice had shot through her heart along with fear and longing as she saw the black book she clutched in her pale, cold hand.

"Hello Lin," a soft smooth voice said.

She froze, and looked up in time to see the boy, no older than sixteen standing, looking at her with a nearly expressionless face.

Handsome features, jet black hair, pristine robes, Slytherin crest, handsome dark green eyes – almost like charcoal, mixed with the color of the forest trees.

"Tom," she gasped out.

_::Who is this mistress? Is he your friend?:: _Sesha hissed her question. _::He smells of sadness and darkness mistress.::_

Tom's eyes turned to notice Sesha and he smiled.

"I see you've found a new friend."

Melinda's eyes never lost their round wideness. Did he understand Sesha?

"Tom... how?"

Tom smiled, his eyes looking at her in a hungry way. It made her uncomfortable, but curious at the same time. She felt drawn to him, but at the same time she feared him.

"My diary of course."

Melinda looked a the book in Ginny's hand and back to Tom.

"It's you. You're the heir of Slytherin. You used me." Her voice choked at this, her eyes trying to tear over.

Tom smiled, his eyes seeming to soften if only a little.

"In the beginning, but you intrigue me Melinda. You're powerful, I needn't take much of your energy like I had to with sweet little Ginevra."

Melinda shook her head.

"How is this possible?"

Tom chuckled, moving closer so he stood beside her, close to Ginny's feet.

"Simple. I'm a memory, trapped in my diary for fifty years. You began writing in it, and pouring your feelings, you soul and magic into it. Feeding me so that I could come back, alive again."

Melinda blinked hard. She wouldn't cry in front of him, he'd betrayed her, he'd never been her friend.

"Don't cry love," Tom said softly, reaching out to run a finger over her cheek.

She flinched back at his cold touch.

He smiled.

"Things changed though. You shared more than I thought with me, I felt for you. We are so similar the two of us. Forced to live with people we hate, muggles. Thought of as freaks, abominations."

Tom's voice was bitter as he spoke of this, but he smiled at her in a way that made her shiver.

"I no longer wished to take your life for my own, I wanted to preserve you. You became more to me than a mere girl foolishly trusting a diary that could talk back. So I pushed emotions of distrust into you. It wasn't that hard, you were already worried that I had something to do with your blackouts, that I was hiding something."

Tom's eyes lingered on her scar in a lustful way and then his darker green eyes locked with her lighter emerald-sea colored ones.

"I had you dispose of my diary, somewhere I was sure someone would find it. Imagine my surprise when it came into the hands of one of your friends."

Tom smiled, bending down so he was more level with her and Ginny's prone body. He plucked at Ginny's robes almost mockingly before turning to her.

"She was more than eager for a place to write all her worry's and woes. She may have seemed alright but she was really miserable. Worried that she'd never have any friends like you seemed to, that she'd never be seen as more then a fan girl by you. She'd always wanted an older sister."

Melinda couldn't stop the tears that fell – two single tears streaked down her face and Tom smiled.

She gasped as he reached over and wiped them away with his thumb. His touch both scared and thrilled her. She didn't know why, but she hated it.

"Stop," Melinda gasped. "Please, why did you do this to her?"

"Because I needed her to continue to write in my dairy." Tom placed a hand on her cheek. "So we could be together."

"I'm twelve," Melinda said, not exactly the most intelligent thing to say.

Tom chuckled and stood up, she noticed with wide eyes he now had her wand. "I'm sixteen physically, that's four years. It's not that much of an age difference love. Besides, I can wait."

"Don't call me that," she snapped.

"I understand you still mad. I do have some questions for you though Lin," Tom began, twirling her wand in his hand.

"Ginny was very talkative, she told me mostly what I already knew. But it made me curious, about something she didn't seem to know the answer too. How is it, that you're alive when Lord Voldemort is not?"

Melinda blinked. Why did he want to know that? She knew she had to hurry though, Ginny wouldn't be alive for much longer.

"Why do you care? He was before your time," Melinda said and Tom smiled, and she swore his eyes flashed red.

"Oh, but Melinda," Tom said. "Voldemort is my past, present and _our_ future."

Melinda wasn't sure what he meant by our but he turned and wrote in the air with her wand.

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE.

With a swish of his wand the letter rearranged.

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.

Melinda gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

"No, no, no!" she chanted, her eyes tearful.

She felt another tear fall but forced herself not to release anymore.

_::Mistress, permission to kill him?:: _Sesha asked and Melinda blinked.

_::A very loyal familiar to her, aren't you dear one?::_ Tom hissed, smiling at the serpent.

_::A snake-charmer as well, it would explain why you smell slightly like my mistress.:: _

Tom raised an eyebrow and stared at the sight before him.

He couldn't take his eyes off her, she was as beautiful as he'd thought. She would only become more beautiful with age.

He had to have her, she cared for him he had felt it and he was hesitant to admit it but he did care for her. The first person in... well ever really.

"You are beautiful Lin," he said and Melinda stood up.

"Stop, I can't believe I trusted you," she said, glaring. "Please Tom, let Ginny and I go."

Tom smiled almost sadly.

"I'm sorry, I can't."

Melinda clinched her fist, making sure Tachýs was still on her finger. It was.

"Join me Lin," Tom said, holding out a hand. "Together we'd be great."

Melinda shivered, remembering the words Voldemort had said the year before. She was even more horrified to find a part of her wanted to, and she cursed her weakness. Her own temptation.

"No!" she exclaimed after a moment and Tom's eyes flashed.

"No?" he questioned. "I do this for us Melinda, don't make me destroy you."

"No, I won't join you. I'd rather die," she snapped.

Tom's jaw set, his eyes turning nearly black, in his anger.

"Then so be it."

Melinda watched in horror as he turned to the statue and spoke in Parseltongue. A moment later the mouth opened and she saw the giant Basilisk king emerge from the statue. She gasped, stepping back in horror.

_::Kill her.:: _Tom ordered.

Sesha hissed in outrage.

_::No Set, do not hurt my mistress, Please!::_

Tom and Melinda watched in shock at the serpent king stopped, and gazed down at the smaller serpent on Melinda's arm.

_::I must obey my master young one, you understand that. But have faith, and recall my words.::_ the serpent king spoke and Melinda only had a moment before it surged forward, snapping it's large jaws.

She gasped and turned, running.

She didn't get very far before tripping and she could see the shadow of the serpent behind. She got to her knees.

"Please rethink your decision Lin," Tom's voice echoed and she gritted her teeth.

"No!"

She heard the Basilisk raise back to strike and then she heard the most beautiful song in her life. It instantly made her forget she had any worries.

"Fawkes," she whispered, looking up as the bird dropped the sorting hat in front of her.

"No!" Tom yelled, growling as the scarlet bird managed to blind his Basilisk. "You may have blinded my Basilisk but it can still smell you Lin."

Melinda dodged quit of the way, the snake instead crashed into the floor, making chunks fly up. It turned just as she jammed the hat on her head and took off Tachýs, and allowed it to form into a her sword.

"What?" Tom breathed, shocked by the appearance of the beautiful sword.

Melinda smirked.

"I didn't tell you all my secrets, love," she said mockingly.

Melinda dodged once more, slashing at the Basilisk as she dove. The godly metal cut a gash in it's snout like area and she groaned as something fell from the hat onto her head.

_::Set, don't fail me!::_ Tom roared.

Melinda saw the gleaming sword in the hat, and gasped. It looked breath taking, with rubies on the hilt. She barely had time to think as she grabbed it and jumped away once more from the Basilisk raging attack.

She felt the sword burn her hand and nearly dropped it but held true. She could not fail, she thought as she raced to the statue and began to scale it.

She had to be closer to the snakes height.

_::Hold true mistress, I have faith you shall prevail.::_ Sesha encouraged.

Melinda stood on the top of the statue and swung her two swords, ignoring the ruby one which burnt into her left hand. She saw a glint of a name, Godric Gryffindor and knew why.

He was a son of Zeus, it made sense she could not wield a weapon most likely forged for Godric by Zeus.

She fought beyond the pain though and though she got a few good slashes in she knew she needed some sort of break.

Finally the snake reared back and surged forward, mouth opened wide. Thinking quickly she pushed both swords through the roof of it's mouth, and gasped at the feeling of a tooth entering her right forearm and one cutting a gash in her left.

She was thankful Sesha had moved to wrap around her chest, her head resting on her right shoulder.

The Basilisk fell dead and she slid down the statues side, and stumbled her way to Ginny. Dropping the nearly smoking sword of Gryffindor on the way.

She had already removed the Basilisk fang from her arm as she sunk to her knees and leaned against a pillar close to Ginny.

Tom looked at her with sadness, and for a moment she felt her heart twitch. She knew he couldn't have been evil from birth, and from what she'd learned he was the product of the worlds rejection. Of his raising.

If only someone had tried to help him, but she now knew when Voldemort had become a monster. He had been only sixteen.

"I'm sorry Lin," Tom said as he walked forward, and knelt down. "I never wanted to kill you. I did this for you, for us."

"It's not right, and there was never any us Tom," she said, she could feel the venom in her body.

Tom frowned and leaned forward, and she could do nothing but allow it as his lips brushed her for a few seconds. He pulled back and she sighed.

"I wish we could have met under different circumstances Tom," Melinda said. "Maybe I could have helped you."

The two stared at one another for a moment before there was the sound of music once more and Tom gaped as the bird swooped down and landed on Melinda's knee.

"You did great Fawkes," Melinda praised and Fawkes sang a sad tune before it reached over and plucked a necklace from around her neck.

She gasped as Fawkes tilted his head and a drop of water fell from the pearl and hit the wounded arms at the same time as tears from the Phoenix.

Instantly Melinda felt better, a thousand times better. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten the Pearl at a time like this.

"How?" Tom breathed.

Melinda gazed at him sadly. She noticed the basilisk fang nearby and grabbed it. She moved the dairy from Ginny's hands and placed it in front of her.

"I'm sorry Tom," she said and Tom watched in horror and she brought the fang down onto the diary.

It struck and Tom let out a horrible scream. Melinda struck the diary once more and Melinda closed her eyes as Tom's form burst in golden-fiery embers and he was no more. The dairy bled black bloody ink.

_::You are saddened mistress,::_ Sesha said.

"He wasn't always evil Sesha, I believe he could have been saved. I wish I could have saved him," she replied, letting one lone tear fall just as Ginny began waking up.

Melinda sighed in relief, at least that was over.

**xXx**

The end of the year feast was as breath taking as usual.

On the plus side of things; Lockhart had left the school when it became clear a student had been taken into the chamber.

Dumbledore hadn't expelled them.

Hermione was now unpetrified.

Ginny was alive.

Tom, at least that part of him, could now be at rest.

She didn't know what would happen to him, she wasn't sure what he had been but she hoped it wasn't as bad as what he'd been before. She wasn't too sure things like whatever the diary was went to the underworld.

And finally, it seemed Dumbledore had no idea she'd been the one to originally have the diary.

Neither did Ginny it seemed. She had told her friends though, and apologized while crying on Hermione's shoulder about the whole thing.

It had taken Ron and Neville a few minutes but they'd both understood and forgiven her. Hermione was quick to forgive, she was a girl she could understand better Melinda supposed.

"So another year, another adventure," Neville said as the feast proceeded.

Melinda smiled at her friends.

"Let's not go for another one next year," she said.

"I second that," Hermione said. "For once I hope we can have a adventure free year."

"Normal would be nice," Ron laughed, around a mouth full of food.

The others grimaced.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald," Hermione scolded and Neville and Melinda sighed.

Those two would never change.

Melinda smiled though, she hoped they didn't change.

She knew she would, this year had been so much worse than the last. She'd faced betrayal on a whole new level. She could only pray to the fates that she'd get a break in the coming third year.

But Melinda wouldn't get her hopes up, she knew how unlucky she was.

For now though she was content to have survived her second year.


	9. The Years Before: Year Three

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 9: The Years Before: Year Three. **

Melinda was pretty sure she was dreaming. She wasn't sure if this was a normal dream but she was pretty sure when a little boy with black messy hair and sea colored eyes appeared that it wasn't completely a dream. She'd had demigod dreams before, not many but enough to realize what this was.

"Who are you?" Perseus asked.

Melinda realized that he could be no older then seven or eight, she wasn't too sure when her little brother's birthday was. She'd have to remember to make up for all those missed birthdays when they finally met.

"I'm Lin," Melinda said and she looked around, realizing they were at a beach.

It was beautiful here, and Perseus looked quite at home. He must come here often, she realized.

"I'm Percy," he said, smiling a little. "Your a strange dream, do I know you?"

Melinda grinned, sitting down in the sand, surprised by how real the waves that lapped at their feet was. She was also reminded of another Percy she knew, not because of any personality or physical resemblance but because of their preferred nicknames.

"I know a Percy, he's one of my friends older brothers," Melinda muttered. "But I don't know you."

Percy nodded and they both turned similar green eyes to the sea. Then her dream shifted.

She was in a dark place, sinking down and then when light filled the area so she could actually see she recognized shimmering figures of spirits of the dead. She was in the underworld... but why, how?

"That's simple, someone wanted to say goodbye."

Melinda spun around, smiling slightly as she saw Hecate. She looked a little different in this new setting. Her skin was paler, and her eyes darker and her hair was practically black it was so dark a red.

"Grams," Melinda said. "But how? Did you bring me here?"

Hecate nodded. "Yes. As you know my main abode is in the Underworld. I have some sway over spirits with my domains being as they are and I ran into a soul while here. It intrigued me because it wasn't a complete soul, just a large chunk of it."

"I don't understand," Melinda admitted.

Hecate smiled. "I didn't think you would, but in the future you will. Anyways, whatever you did at the end of the year … it freed this soul from hate for lack of better term. I talked to him and think you probably subconsciously tapped into your magic when your struck the diary and it purged the soul of its darkness. Allowing it to sort of become a soul all on it's own. The other half will be damned unfortunately."

"Diary," Melinda muttered, coming to a sudden realization. "Tom?"

"Lin," a familiar voice said, stepping from the shadows to stand beside Hecate.

She noticed he also seemed different, other then being dead and a spirit his dark green eyes were slightly lighter, like a weight had been lifted from them and he didn't look as... cold, crazed.

"Why are you here?" Melinda asked, her tone sort of icy, her eyes weary.

Tom sighed, his head lowered. "I asked Mother Hecate for one last request before I'm judged."

"But its been over a month sense I..." Melinda trailed off.

Tom shrugged. "Yeah, well the line was sort of backed up and I was worried about my sentence. I did a lot of bad things while alive Melinda."

Melinda bit her lip, unsure what to say. She tore her eyes from his and looked at her great-grandmother who had a almost pitying look in her old eyes.

"That can't be held against you can it? You're sixteen, grams said you were somehow half a soul. If you were sixteen when you placed it in the diary then...you weren't responsible for Voldemort's deeds later in life."

Tom sighed. "I don't think it works like that, and I wasn't a nice person even before the diary."

"Tom's right child," Hecate said sadly. "You saved his soul, well this part of it anyways but he may still have to face judgment for his life before and after the diary."

Melinda blinked hard. "But that's not fair. Cant you do anything?"

"She can't," Tom interrupted anything Hecate could say. "We don't have a lot of time Lin, I just wanted to see you one last time before I was sentenced."

"But why me?" Melinda asked.

"I don't know. Your special Lin, you have this way of getting into peoples heads and hearts. You're a hero, a savior, one day you'll be great," Tom said, smiling.

"You know then?" Mel asked.

"About Poseidon being your dad?" Tom nodded. "Yeah, Hecate explained when I asked. It seems I'm a distant legacy of Hecate's and can see the underworld as a demigod would because of it and being a wizard."

"I'm sorry I had to kill you."

Tom chuckled. "I was already dead love," he said. "I just couldn't accept it. Tom Riddle died the day I created the diary, you just freed me. You made me realize what the hatred and rejection I'd felt growing up had led me to become."

Melinda walked closer, raising her hand towards Tom but remembered he was a spirit, she couldn't touch him. Tom looked at her sadly.

"Melinda, before I go you need to know that there are other objects like the dairy out there. They're different though, they're not like me so don't try to save them. It won't work." Tom sighed. "There is also the chance that our encounter in the chamber, and the things we talked about before you tossed the diary will be known to my other half if or when he returns."

Melinda frowned. "Voldemort will know, everything?"

She hated that. She and Tom had talked about such personal things and she knew they were technically one person but it made her feel violated to know Voldemort would know anything about her and Tom.

Tom frowned. "It's a possibility."

Melinda finally let the tears fall. "I know I probably shouldn't, but I'll miss you."

Tom grinned. "It's a shame we were born in such different era's, I think I could have really loved you."

Melinda chuckled bitterly. "Me too, I hope you get a happy ending Tom. You don't belong in punishment, not really."

Tom smiled at her and she wiped her face as he disappeared, leaving only her and Hecate.

"I'm sorry my dear, I'll try to persuade Hades to be lenient with him," Hecate said, patting her arm comfortingly and then Melinda gasped, finding herself sitting up in bed instead of in her dream.

"Tom," Melinda whispered as she sat against the headboard.

_::Are you well mistress?::_ Sesha asked, slithering from her coiled place at the foot of her bed.

_::Yeah, just some strange demigod dreams.:: _She stroked Sesha's scales as she said this and Sesha laid with her head in her mistresses lap. Sesha had grown to a good five feet in the little time Melinda had her, so obviously her head was rather large now.

_::Very well.:: _Sesha said. _::The house elf came with another letter mistress.::_

Melinda blinked, sitting up some.

Last year after she'd gotten out of the chamber there had been a discussion with Dumbledore in his office. He'd told her a bit about her sorting, how it was her choices that showed where she belonged – she had been slightly upset over the whole where she truly belonged scenario that year. She now accepted she was a Slytherin at heart, who wore a Lion's mask.

There had also been a rather amusing assumption that she'd only used the sword of Gryffindor to kill the Basilisk.

She didn't point out that the sword had burned her something terrible. Thankfully the phoenix tears and pearl had healed more then just the Basilisk venom. Then Lucius Malfoy had come in with Dobby. She hadn't realize she could hate anyone as much as Lucius Malfoy.

She had come to an understanding about Dobby. She didn't forgive as easily one might believe, and while she for a split second thought about freeing the house elf. She had a better idea. She went to Draco that same day and talked about how they could use Dobby to spy on his dad - seeing as Dobby was a Malfoy elf Draco was his master as well.

All Draco had to do over the summer was get Lucius to hand over all bonds to him. Melinda wasn't worried about Draco's mother still being able to order around Dobby, just Lucius.

This way they could also send letters to each other. Both knew owls could be intercepted. No one could realize she and Draco were friends. Only her friends knew and she knew they wouldn't be spreading that around.

Swinging her legs out of bed Melinda turned on the desk lamp – which brightened the dark room enough to see but not make her relatives aware she may be up – and took the envelope with Draco's almost femininely neat handwriting on the front.

_Melinda,_

_Happy birthday, you're finally thirteen._

Melinda stopped there for a minute as she grimaced. Yeah, thirteen was big alright. Three years and she'd be sixteen... if she survived that long. She wasn't to sure if she would be the child of prophecy but she sure hoped not. But if she wasn't that meant Percy might be, unless Hades broke the oath as well.

Shaking her head Melinda turned her attention back to the note.

_I'm sorry I couldn't get you a present but my dad would have asked questions I couldn't answer. I don't know anyone else with a birthday in July, much less one I would be writing to. I also wanted to update you on our plan, it's done. Dad thought it was a brilliant idea that I get used to the idea of having a house elf bound to me, he even had mom agree to give up bonds over Dobby. _

_So as of last week, Dobby the house elf is working for me, but as promised I'll try to treat him as fairly as I can while still in the manor. _

_I heard the Weasley's won the lottery, you should check out the prophet, it's all over the front page. I didn't know if you knew that yet but I figured I'd let you know despite my own... dislike of the family. _

_Anyway, I'll see you at the start of term. _

_Draco Achilles Malfoy. _

Melinda chuckled as she finished the letter. Being from an old Pureblood family It was customary to sign your full name if the one you were writing too was a close family friend, a close friend, mistress – the kind married men sometimes had – or family.

She supposed she fell into two of those categories. She was his friend and family at the same time. She'd ordered a book on Pureblooded family and their family trees – not the complete trees mind you those were only on tapestries in the main manor home – and found that James Potter's mother was Dorea Black. Draco's mother was a Black before birth, if she'd actually been James' biological daughter they'd have been blood cousins, no matter the distance. Draco wasn't aware she was just his adoptive cousin.

_::Happy Birthday mistress.:: _Sesha said and Melinda smiled. A few minutes later there was a glow over her bed and she noticed Hedwig flying back with packages and letters as the glow left to find two small packages and a letter each. On was a dark green envelope, the other a sea colored one.

_::Oh, bird brain is back,:: _Sesha hissed in disdain and Hedwig's golden colored eyes seem to glare at the serpent as she hooted.

Melinda rolled her eyes and took the packages from Hedwig. There was a letter and present from each of her friends – Hagrid, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna, Neville, Daphne and Astoria. As well as a package from Mrs. Weasley, oddly enough.

The letters were pretty straight forward. All wishing her happy birthday and that they couldn't wait to see her in the new term. Ron talked about having gone to Egypt and that the money from the lottery win had made it possible for him to get a new wand. Fred and George mentioned their attempt to lock Percy in a tomb. Ginny thanked her again for saving her life last term and asked her to say hello to Sesha for her.

Luna was more dreamy and imaginative. She was hunting for some sort of creature with her father after having come back from Camp Aesir – what she learned the Norse camp for Half-Bloods was called in the world they resided in. Melinda found it refreshing to have a friend who knew who she was, and was a demigod themselves. She had thought over the prospect of telling Percy Weasley this year that she knew.

Daphne and Astoria wrote one letter together, talking of how their parents seemed to approve of their friendship. Melinda had read that the Greengrass family was only about five hundred years old, a younger Pureblooded family and while it was considered a dark family it was also widely known to be neutral. Even with Grindelwald or any Dark Lord before or after they never got involved directly.

Her presents – the first presents she'd ever gotten besides her weapons from her father – were simple but she prefer ed it that way.

Hagrid got her a book, the Monster book of Monsters or something. It was a book that bit, she had to wonder why he'd decided on that besides the fact it seemed to be one of the course books for Care of Magical Creatures which she would be taking in the coming year. Along with Ancient Runes – she'd though about Divination but she wasn't fond of seers or oracles, or knowing her future. She'd rather just leave that up to chance.

Hermione got her a expensive looking hardback parchment journal which actually had lines. How she managed that Melinda wasn't sure since most parchment paper didn't have lines. A replacement for the one she lost, one that didn't talk back or betray you, Hermione had wrote.

It was kind of sad to receive but she really did need to get things off her chest and her mother seemed fond of writing down her thoughts, so why not do it as well?

Ron had been the one of the first ever birthday cards he'd received – Hermione had included one to though – and a spinning top like device she learned was a Pocket Sneakoscope.

Luna's gift was by far the most...unique but enjoyable. It was a pendent on a black choker style ribbon necklace. It was silver, or pewter silver and was slightly heavy with a circular base and a star like pattern in the center. A medium sized blue gem sat in the middle sparkling.

Luna explained in a short note that the star design showed the eight winds and the eight worlds of ancient Norse belief, with our world - Midgard - shining at the center of creation. It was also supposedly good luck for Leadership and Advancement. She'd had it made while she was at her camp, so it was made of a certain type of silver that couldn't be found in this realm. Known to the Norse gods, though Luna wasn't vocal on who exactly forged it for her.

It was kind of surprising since it looked like pewter silver to her but then she realized it was too heavy and to smooth to be any kind of silver she'd ever come across. Melinda would have to ask Hecate or Poseidon – if she ever heard from her father again – about something she could give Luna for such a great gift.

Neville got her a book of hundred of plants that could save her life or endanger it and a box of Honeydukes best chocolate. At the point that she saw the chocolate she could have kissed him. Aunt Petunia had put the family on a diet, it wasn't exactly working but it was making it so Melinda had to sneak out to make something that wasn't wilted lettuce to eat. There was only so much nutrition you can get from a small plat of lettuce that shouldn't be eaten.

Fred and George gave her some prank items, dungbombs and a few other select objects. Ginny have her a key chain with a charm for Holyhead Harpies. Daphne and Astoria gave her a book on Pureblood etiquette, a sort of gag gift she realized and a small birthday cake with sea green icing and blue words – Happy Birthday Lin!

From Mrs. Weasley was a card, signed by the whole family and a basket of food – sandwiches, cakes, fruits etc. The not explained that the basket had a spell over it to preserve the perishable food for a week. She'd have to remember to thank the family when she saw them again, she wouldn't see to chance taking food – which her uncle and Dudley couldn't eat but could watch like a hawk – from her relatives.

_::Mistress, you still have two more gifts.::_ Sesha said, jerking her tail at the two packages on the bed.

Melinda nodded and picked up the first one with the sea colored envelope. With shaking hands she opened the envelope and unfolded the paper inside.

_Happy 13th birthday, my little Pearl._

Melinda laughed. She didn't know her dad well, but she figured this was a sure sign he wasn't the most comfortable writing letters. The package was opened next and she gasped at the image inside. It was a beautiful sea themed photo frame made from material she had a feeling came from Atlantis.

The picture itself was of her mother and father, standing on a sunset beach, her mother looked beautiful in a purple bikini, her red hair waving gently down her back and in the wind, her eyes couldn't be seen behind dark sunglasses but it only made her mother seem more beautiful, mysterious.

Her father had an arm wrapped around the redheads shoulder, in swim trunks. She could only assume the picture had been taken by another person on the beach at the time, this must have been from the summer before her birth.

She'd have to put a notice-me-not charm on it but it would sit beside the picture she had of her mother and step-father dancing together. She wished she could somehow turn this photo into a magical one but she knew that wasn't possible. It wasn't exactly a spell that made magical photos move, but how they were developed.

The other letter and package was from Hecate.

_Mel,_

_Happy birthday dear. Your father asked me to get these to you since we can't use Hermes to deliver things to you. Both I and your father are aware of your adventure last year, we're very proud of you though we do wish you'd attempt to stay out of trouble. _

_Brace yourself dear, this year may be more then you expect. _

_Grams._

Melinda frowned.

Did her great-grandmother know something she didn't. She sighed, opened the package and gasped at the ornate hand held mirror inside. It was silver and had small studded emeralds around the circular frame.

"Thanks dad, grams," she muttered, hoping they might hear it. She'd have to find a way to sacrifice food to the gods, but it wasn't the easy without a open flame.

"GIRL!" Melinda sighed, looking at the clock and raising an eyebrow.

Six in the morning, that was rather early for her uncle to be up. As she got out of bed and got dressed she had a feeling she wasn't going to like what her uncle had to say.


	10. The Years Before: Year Three II

**AN: So another chapter. This one is much more...interesting the the last in my opinion. I enjoyed writing this one a lot. The next chapter will probably be longer because it is going to span the rest of the third year, unless it takes more then three days, then I'll just cut it in two and post four parts to her third year instead. I'm sure many can't wait until we get to camp. **

**The good news is we are almost through with her Hogwarts years. Only four more school years to go through, and the seventh wasn't even really at Hogwarts but a bit of everywhere.  
**

**Also the whole diet thing, I know that wasn't until the fourth book but I figured...Dudley needs it bad enough. Also I wanted to clarify to those who are a little unsure of Lily having basically cheated on James. There is a few reason for that, one it's for the sake of the plot. Another reason is that before Lily went on her trip which let her to meeting Poseidon she and James had a large fight. **

**Fast forward a little into the future and she meets Poseidon. Who could resist a god, much less one of the Big Three? Lily's only human after all, and despite how she may seem in the book I strongly believe that even Lily Potter was not perfect. She made bad choices in her life I'm sure.  
**

**I think I've covered the biggest concerns, now we can move on to the chapter itself.  
**

**Please enjoy, and R&R!  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 10: The Years Before: Year Three II. **

What she expected to find once she got downstairs wasn't what she found. Vernon was grinning madly, as if he had a very bad case of gas. Petunia looked both constipated and grim – which really wasn't all the uncommon for her aunt – and Dudley was being smothered by a fat tub of lard.

Oh, that was Aunt Marge. Marge Dursley was Uncle Vernon's sister. They shared many features, so much so Melinda often wondered if they'd been twins at birth and Marge had latter gotten a sex change. She never had a husband nor did she have any children – thank the gods almighty for that – but she did have devil hounds.

Not to say hellhounds, but dogs of pure evil – like Ripper for instance.

Ripper hated her, and the moment the little bad of teeth saw her he was snapping his jaw at her. But then she realized something... while the woman who turned around looked just like Aunt Marge at first, it wasn't. For once thing she was older looking, for another fatter, if that was at all possible. She really needed a slim fast was her first thought, and Ripper...well Ripper had managed to turn into a chihuahua.

"Uh...Ripper's shrunk," Melinda said, without even thinking.

Ripper – or what seemed to be Ripper – growled like a dog possessed and she began to get that feeling. Like someone was walking over her grave, usually that was a feeling she got when she was about to be attacked by monsters.

"Don't be stupid girl!" Vernon snapped. "Ripper is as large as ever. Now Marge, we've got breakfast ready and some nice whiskey just the way you like."

Petunia nodded, discretely shoving a twenty pound note into Dudley's fat hand.

"So, she's still here I see," Marge sneered but the way she looked at Melinda and said this made Melinda think whoever this was didn't mean it the way Aunt Marge would have meant it.

"Yep," Melinda snapped, narrowing her gaze at the imposter. Trying to figure out if this was some sort of monster. She never got the chance as Uncle Vernon glared and sent her off to take Marge's bags up to the guest room.

_::I smell monsters mistress,::_ Sesha said, startling Melinda. She jumped, looking down to see her familiar at her feet in the guest room. She must have gone through the cat flap and into the open door of the room.

_::Yeah, I think it's my Aunt Marge, and possibly her dog.::_

Sesha would have blinked had she had eyelids, but being a Parseltongue it almost looked as if she had blinked. _::The horrid woman who let her dog chase you up a tree? I thought we'd assessed she was a monster already.:: _

Melinda chuckled. _::No, I mean for real this time. It looks like Aunt Marge and Ripper at first glance but I think that's just the Mist.:: _

_::If so then we need a plan to get out without dying.::_ Sesha advised._ ::There is also the question of where your real aunt and her beast are.:: _

Melinda shrugged. _::If I'm lucky they were eaten or won't be seen ever again because of a bad case of amnesia.:: _

Sesha snickered. _::But you're not that lucky mistress.::_

_::Sadly,::_ Melinda agreed and lowered her arm to her friend. _::Come, we won't be here come tonight.::_

Sesha slithered obediently up Melinda's arm and hid under her clothes, wrapped around her left arm but she was so long now she had to coil a few more times and her tail was draped over her shoulders.

Melinda rolled my eyes as she heard the TV go on in the kitchen – a present for their precious Dudders – and the three walrus and a giraffe (Mel had stopped referring to her aunt as a horse when she realized how offensive that was to such beautiful creatures) sat down to breakfast.

Of course they wouldn't wait for her.

She made a pit stop in her room and placed her new stuff in her school trunk, placed her wand in her boot – it was the quickest to draw from until she got a wand holster – and released Hedwig. Melinda told the snowy owl to fly to either the burrow, Greengrass manor or Longbottom manor. She knew sending her owl to Draco or Hermione wouldn't work, Hermione wasn't home and neither was Luna.

Making sure Abyss and Tachýs were secured on her person she held her hand over her trunk and chanted a quick Greek spell – which was basically whispering the words, in the mother of magics name, shrink. She could have simply said shrink in Greek but she still hadn't gotten a great hold on her magic without the use of her magical core or wand.

She didn't like thinking about it to much, the difference between the magic she used without a wand and her magical core but according to her grimoire it was very different. For one the use of magic gained from being a descendant of Hecate was untraceable but tired you out a lot more.

After her trunk was small enough to fit in her pocket she went downstairs. Her so called family had already finished off any food that she might have been able to eat. Aunt Petunia it seemed had thrown the diet out for the day if all that greasy – questionably eatable food considering Aunt Petunia made it – on plates in front of her relatives.

"It's about time girl," Vernon barked, waving a slice of bacon at her. "Pour your Aunt Marge some whiskey. If your good you can have some toast."

"How generous," she whispered under her breath.

"What was that Potter?" 'Marge' asked much to sweetly.

Melinda came back around with the whiskey which she was tempted to smash over her supposed aunts head. Either that or steal for herself.

"You know, your eyes are strange color. Familiar," 'Marge' commented suddenly and she stiffened.

She knew her eyes were like Lily's at first glance but she also knew that Marge had never met Lily Evans. Someone who'd never known her mother well would say she had her fathers eyes and in truth she had both it just depended on the mood she was in to which shade they resembled more.

"You must be mistaken," Aunt Petunia laughed nervously.

Marge grinned darkly at the family around and then slapped Ripper on the snout as Melinda moved back from the progressively more aggressive dog.

"No, not now Sonny," Marge snapped.

"Marge, I know you've had a bit today but that's Ripper not Sonny," Vernon said, making sound almost like he was joking.

Melinda for some reason didn't think that was 'Marge' was talking about.

"Marge," Marge said, tasting the name on her tongue. She sneered as she stood up. "What a disgusting name that woman has. What an even more disgusting family, I almost didn't smell her. I'm glad my dear Sonny boy did."

"Sonny?" Dudley choked, wondering what was wrong with his overbearing aunt.

Melinda back away, listening to Sesha's hissed warning in her ear.

Marge laughed. "Yes, my son here."

Ripper growled louder then a dog it's size should be able to.

"You're not Aunt Marge, are you?" Melinda said coldly.

"What!?" Vernon roared, standing up so fast he nearly flipped the table. Aunt Petunia and Dudley both jumped up and Marge laughed and she began top change before their eyes.

'Marge' was still in need of a diet but she was now some sort of snake woman with a human like head, her body snake-like. When she opened her mouth a bit Melinda could see a set of vicious fangs, her skin as green and scaly, a forked-tongue and eyes like a reptile. To out plainly, she wasn't going to win any beauty pageants any time soon.

'Ripper' was what nearly gave her a heart attack. He grew to the size of a small bear, with the head of a lion, a blood caked mane, the body and hooves of a goat and a ten-foot-long diamondback snake which seem to grow out of it's butt.

A bloody Chimera. Oh all the things to track her down, it had to be this thing!

She had no idea what the green woman was, or who. But she knew that her relatives were screaming bloody murder. It started with Petunia and Dudley and ended with Vernon.

"Run," Melinda hissed at them and Aunt Petunia wasted no time grabbing her husband and son and dragging them off.

"Demigod daughter of Poseidon," the green woman hissed.

"How did you know that?" Melinda asked as she slipped Tachýs off and let it form her trident.

"Your scent, it smells strongly of the sea breeze." Melinda groaned, wonderful her scent gave her away.

"So, who are you?"

"I am Echidna, mother of monsters," Echidna bragged, her voice so full of pride Melinda was surprised she didn't choke on it. "This my son. Chimera, or at least one of them."

"Like the anteater?" Mel asked, cocking her head to the side.

Echidna fumed, her reptilian eyes seeming to glow in fury. "I HATE AUSTRALIA!"

Melinda blanched at the loud sound but had no time to say anything as Echidna pointed at her and the Chimera lunged for her. With wide eyes she lunged to the side and put the counter between them.

The chimera growled and it's tail end lunged for her but she jumped back, swinging her Trident in hoped of slicing it off. She knew that would be a fatal wound if she allowed it to bite her.

"You shall die demigod. You aren't supposed to exist to begin with daughter of Poseidon." Melinda growled.

With her anger getting the better of her she flung her hand out in front of her and thought of a telekinetic shockwave – which was basically what she'd used to destroy the mirror of Erised her first year.

She'd learned from her mother's diaries that she'd had the ability of Telekinesis from her godly blood, one of the few things she inherited besides being a wand witch. The ability had passed to her along with the dormant trait of snake-charming but was more powerful since she was a daughter of Poseidon. It took a lot of energy though.

It seemed to work though, the Chimera and Echidna were flung with force out the glass screen doors into the backyard. The table was splintered and so were the walls and the photos and portraits decorating the area. She didn't wait as she ran out the shattered screen doors and thrust her Trident at the Chimera who was getting back to it's feet.

Echidna was nearly snarling venom as she stood, and Melinda bit her lip as her Trident glanced off a collar she hadn't seen before. She pursed her lip and dodged to the side as the monster reared back and breathed fire. The fire hit the house, and she watched in fascination as part of the kitchen area caught on fire.

Pulling out her wand from her boot Melinda cast a aguamenti at the fire, and wasn't all the surprised at how powerful it was. She was a daughter of a sea god, that spell had always been very powerful once she'd mastered it.

"That was a mistake girl," Echidna sneered. The Chimera growled and walked like a predator stalking it's pray towards her.

Melinda smirked. "Was it?" she asked and concentrated on the water in the air.

Raising her hand at the beast she focused on the area around it and slowing made a claw like motion with her hand, like a very slow forming of a fist. As she did she could feel the tug in her gut and practically see the beast start gasping for breath.

"What are you doing?" Echidna asked.

Melinda smirked.

"Did you know that nearly everything is made out of water. The human body is made nearly completely of water. Brain, lungs, muscle tissue, body fat, bones, even the blood. The air also happens to have water molecules." She chuckled as the chimera suddenly dropped painfully to the ground. "I just so happen to be the daughter of Poseidon. Do the math Anty."

"You despicable little bitch! Die demigod!" Echidna screamed, lunging forward but she was ready. She dropped her hold on the chimera and let her Trident become level with the mother of monster, so fulled by rage the monster realized to late that she'd be impaled on Tachýs.

Melinda stood, pulling Tachýs free and let it transform from Trident to sword form. She didn't allow Echidna to prove that she could survive her wound and swung, severing the mother of monsters head from her shoulders. She burst into dust, but she knew sooner or latter Echidna would reform. Turning her attention to the chimera, she was barely in time to dodge it's tail.

_::Keep your filthy fangs out of my mistress!::_ Sesha hissed as she slithered from her Melinda's shirt and onto the ground, ready to strike.

_::Don't be foolish Sesha, you're not fully grown yet.::_ Melinda said and then gasped. Of course, holding her hands out towards Sesha she said in Greek – _grow_, and to her relief Sesha became as thick as a tire, and about twenty-five feet long, give or take.

_::Ooh, this is nice,::_ Sesha hissed contently, and then hissed angrily at the chimera.

"Distract it Sesha!" Melinda gasped as she dodged more dire which lit a tree in the backyard on fire. The Dursley's were going to blow a gasket.

_::With pleasure mistress,:: _Sesha said and then Melinda had time to see Sesha strike, wrapping around the chimera's body and fight with it's snake-tail. Sesha was bigger then it, but it still put up a fight, and then she had to maneuver so the lions head didn't bit her at the same time.

With worry Melinda ran into the house and turned the sink faucets on full blast and then ran back out side.

"Hey ugly!" Melinda cried, concentrating on the water inside the house at the same time.

She smiled wickedly as the tug in her gut told her the water was at her command. The chimera turned to her and roared at her, mouth wide open and she raised a hand and pulled the water forward and forced it towards the chimera who'd just lost the use of it's snake-tail from Sesha's venom.

Sesha as if sensing the water's approach unwound her body from the chimera just as Melinda forced the water into the chimera's mouth and into it's body, to it's lungs. She might have been able to kill it simply by the water it possessed in it's body but she hadn't practiced that ability much because she really didn't want to be able to control a life like that.

It felt wrong, but using water from an outside source to drown it from the inside out was okay.

It took about a minute before it dropped dead and became monster dust. Left behind was a large fang. It would make a nice dagger, Melinda thought as she walked over and picked up the tooth. It was as as thick as her wrist and about eight inches long, give or take.

_::Good work Sesha,::_ Melinda told the tired snake.

She waved her hand and whispered, return in Greek and Sesha glowed a dark green and returned to her normal size. Sesha slithered up to her place under Melinda's clothes and Melinda tucked her spoil of war into the waste band of her skinny jeans (she had gotten a new wardrobe the year before when she had went to the alley with the Weasleys).

Melinda knew she had to get out, as she walked out the back gate, body aching from hitting the ground, or being slashed by the damn chimera's claws, and exhausted from use of pure magic she didn't notice the large black dog watching from the bushes. His eyes wide in shock.

**xXx**

Melinda found her way to the Leakey Cauldron thanks to the Knight bus. Once there she was met by the Minster. She didn't think she liked Minster Fudge to much, not to mention his name pretty much said he was Fudge at any job he tried to do.

She was happy to get rid of him, even if he had given her warning about using magic at her relatives. He didn't seem to know of the fight with Echidna or her son, or know that she'd left Privet Drive half burnt and destroyed. He just assumed she'd used a aguamenti to get a drink or clean something. She was let off with a warning since it was her first offense.

What really sparked her interest was Sirius Black. She had seen him in the book on family trees she'd read, he was a relation of her step-fathers and hers through adoption. But there wasn't much to go on, that all changed the day she met the Weasley's and Hermione in Diagon Alley.

"Mel!" Hermione cried, pulling her into a hug.

Melinda grinned and looked at her friend as they pulled back. Hermione had grown over the summer, and was now taller then Melinda's 5'3 – a height Melinda was pretty happy with right now. Her hair was less bushy and she had fixed her teeth somehow. Probably with magic she thought logically.

Ron had also hit a growth spurt, and was probably close to 5'6 now, if not taller. She had a feeling he'd be as tall if not taller then the twins one day. His hair was shorter and seemed to stick up in the front more, but he still looked like Ron.

She had changed too, she'd developed more and Aunt Petunia had been forced to take her to buy bra's that summer. In the right size and all, much to her surprise. Her hair had also gotten longer, Melinda had decided she would grow it as long as she could, so now it reached the top of her butt, and was currently in a tight braid with silver woven in it (something Mrs. Weasley had taught her last summer).

"Ugh, why do you keep that vermin?" Melinda asked, her face twisted in disgust as she pulled back from a attempted hug she planed to give Ron at the sight of Scabbers.

"Hey, Scabbers is a great pet!"

"I don't like rats Ron, it's nothing personal," Melinda said, not realizing how wrong she was.

Ron scowled. "Well I don't like snakes."

Melinda smirked, and turned back to Hermione.

"How was France?" she asked.

Ron groaned. "You had to ask that, she's been rambling about it nonstop since we got here."

Hermione frowned at Ron darkly. "It was great, you should have come with us. My parents were willing to pay for your ticket."

Melinda paled. "Uh, sorry I just don't think it would have been a good idea. Flying and all."

That was an understatement. Even if Zeus was unaware of who she was chances were flying on a plane would still get her blasted to bits. It was a risk she was unwilling to take.

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks. "You love to fly," Hermione said and Melinda nodded slowly.

"Yeah, but on a broom!"

Hermione laughed. "You're okay with a flimsy peace of wood keeping you in the sky but when it comes to a semi-comfy airplane you're afraid?"

"Yeah," Melinda said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, Melinda dear!" Mrs. Weasley said, coming over with Mr. Weasley.

Melinda smiled at them and Mrs. Weasley blanched at the sighed of the large snake draped over her shoulders.

"Merlin, what is that thing doing with you Melinda!?" Mrs. Weasley asked, raising her wand.

Melinda's eyes widened and she stepped back, a hand coming up protectively to Sesha.

"Mum, no!" Ron gasped. "That's Sesha, her familiar!"

Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley both looked startled but with hesitance let it go.

"Really Mrs. Weasley, Sesha won't hurt me or anyone else," Melinda tried to reassure.

"If you say so dear, and please, call me Molly," Mrs. Weasley – Molly said.

"Yes, and I'm Arthur," Mr. Weasley – Arthur agreed.

"Now, we have a long day if we want to get everything on your lists," Molly said and Melinda was ushered out along with her friends to buy her things.

It was few days later that she was taken aside by Arthur and told about Sirius Black.

He was supposedly a big supporter of Voldemort and would most likely come after her as revenge. Melinda wasn't to surprised, it would be just her luck that something like this would happen. Mass murderer escaping from Azkaban to kill her for something she did with the help of her mother, great-grandmother and father at age one.

Great, a insane murderer was after her blood. What else wasn't new?

The day before September 1st found her at the ice cream parlor – she could never remember it's name expect that it started with a f and reminded her flurry – or maybe she was just way off? It didn't help that signs were in English, she'd gotten so used to reading Greek over the years it was basically her first language now.

The owner was really kind, and didn't seem to make a shine over having Melinda Potter in his ice cream cafe. He usually gave her free Sundays, no matter how much she protested.

"Melinda." Looking up she was met with sky blue eyes and a familiar sharp elven face.

"Daphne," Melinda said, smiling. "How are you and Tori?"

Astoria – Tori – Greengrass was a second year this coming year, and was smiling at her almost shyly from her older sister's side. Her hazel eyes bright in the sunlight. Both sisters were nearly identical but Daphne had a medium honey brown hair color and sky blue eyes while Astoria had hazel eyes and dirty blonde hair.

"Fine. How are you? Hedwig arrived the beginning of August, we were sort of worried something was wrong. Then she left not long after she arrived..." Daphne trailed off as she and Tori sat down across from her.

Melinda nodded. "I'm fine. My Aunt Marge came to visit and we don't get along very well. I had to get out of there before we started a bloodbath – " She almost wanted to snort at the irony of her own words. " – so I sent her away, told her to come and find me later."

"Are you sure you're a Gryffindor?" Tori asked and Mel smirked, closing her mouth around a spoonful of ice cream at the same time.

Melinda swallowed and pulled the spoon out of her mouth. "Well, I may have persuaded the hat to chose Gryffindor."

The three girls laughed.

"Where is Sesha?" Daphne asked. Both girls had been oddly fond of the serpent. Most feared Sesha, but those two had instantly taken a liking to the snake.

"She's hunting some rats, she'll be back in a little bit," Melinda said and then grinned. "You two want to go somewhere?"

"Sure," Daphne said, standing along with Tori. "We only have an hour before we have to go home, our parents are a bit hesitant to let us out with Sirius Black on the loose."

Melinda frowned as they walked. "Yeah, I've heard of him."

She wouldn't know it now but tomorrow would start a new adventure. One filled with betrayal, confusion, friendships and illogical paradoxes.

All in all the Fates had a lot in store for the young demigod, she just didn't know it yet.


	11. The Years Before: Year Three III

**AN: As promised the third part of year three. It's been longer then I wanted to finish this chapter so I've cut it in two. The last part of year three will be up in a day or two, depending. Then we'll be onto year four which is one of my more liked years to write about seeing as there is the whole return of Voldy thing to do. Hopefully before we know it we'll be onto Camp Half-Blood.  
**

**Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, please let me know what you thought.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 11: The Years Before: Year Three III. **

Melinda knew her year was going to be as pragmatic as the others after only hours of being on the Hogwarts express. Ron, Neville and Hermione all gathered in one compartment, which already had someone sleeping inside. Melinda's first thought upon seeing the guy covered in a old blanket was that he was either a bum or pretty down on his luck at the moment.

Hermione had figured he was the new Defense professor, R. J. Lupin. Melinda hoped he was better then the last two, she'd barely passed her exams through vigorous studying the last two years. Thankfully first and second year exams were never as bad as the years after them. Something to do with not knowing a lot to test to begin with.

"I need to talk to you about something," Melinda said, shutting the compartment door.

"What about him?" Ron asked.

"He's asleep," Neville said. "Here's hoping he can teach, he looks like on good push could finish him off."

Hermione huffed, clearly disapproving and Melinda smirked in amusement.

"It's about what Ron's dad told me a few days ago," Mel said and instantly all three were sitting.

"Shouldn't we wait for Luna and Ginny?" Hermione asked and Melinda smiled. She was happy Hermione would want to include her other two friends.

"Yeah right, why don't you just invite those three Slytherins as well," Ron snorted and Melinda sighed.

"Daphne, Astoria and Draco are my friends as well Ron," Melinda said. "But I'll tell them later, if they don't already know."

"Know what?" Neville asked.

"When Mr. Weasley pulled me away he told me about the murderer who escaped. Sirius Black," Melinda began and then proceeded to tell them of how he was said to be a big supporter of Voldemort's and was supposedly after her for killing his master.

"So Sirius Black is coming after you for something you did as a baby?" Neville asked, shocked.

"Looks that way," Melinda answered. "I thought you guys should know, hopefully everyone's wrong and he's just going to move on."

"Like you'll be that Lucky Mellie," Hermione scoffed. "We'll have to keep our eyes open. If this year is anything like the last two then we need to make sure we get out of it alive this time as well."

"Agreed," Ron said, nodding.

Melinda smiled. The ride was pretty boring, Neville talked about his plants he'd been working with in his greenhouse at home and Hermione told her all about France. Ron talked about Egypt and she added in some things Sesha wanted to add about the Egyptian lands she'd been born and raised in.

Hermione found it fascinating, Ron found it horrifying especially when the Egyptian land of the Dead and it's book was brought up. Neville was just enjoying having friends, he'd grown up without them and in the last two years he'd grown from a tubby under confident boy into a less tubby more confident boy.

Someone his gran seemed to be proud of, he'd actually heard her say he was becoming more like his father everyday. She'd even bought him his own wand over the summer as a reward. His father's old wand was placed in a case and mounted over the fireplace at the manor now, beside his mothers.

Soon it was dark and soon after Melinda felt the worse feeling she'd ever felt. It was dangerously cold, but the cold wasn't what got her it was feeling of never being happy again. It began slow, and her heart felt as if it was being squeezed, memories of her childhood – Dudley's gang playing Mellie Hunting, her uncle hitting her when she didn't finish her chores on time, her Aunt sneering and saying cruel things.

Then it got even worse, and she was paralyzed in her seat as a hand, black like rotted flesh and bones slowly opened the compartment door.

_MELINDA!_

She sucked in a sharp breath as the hooded thing floated towards her and barely noticed when Lupin stood up, his wand glowing. He spoke words, a spell but she was stuck in place, the screaming getting louder. Who was screaming, why was it familiar, why did it scream her name in terror? Not of her, but for her?

_MELINDA!_

The scream came again and then she vaguely saw a flash of green light in her minds eye and then blackness took her.

_::Mistress?::_ Sesha was the first she heard when she slowly woke up.

She was laying on a compartment seat, her friends around her concerned. Lupin stood with a similar concerned look. But she recognized the way he looked at her, she'd seen it many times from those who knew her mom and step-dad. He must have been a friend or went to school with them.

"You're awake, that's good," Lupin said and pulled out some chocolate.

He handed it over to her and she hesitantly took the chocolate. She opened the paper over the bar and moved it to Sesha. She saw her friends roll their eyes and Lupin arch an eyebrow in confusion and shock and Sesha flicked her tongue tasting the cent of the chocolate.

_::Yuck.::_ Sesha nearly gagged, if a snake could gag that is. _::It is clean mistress, it is simply that disgusting sweet your kind call chocolate.::_

Melinda chuckled.

_::Thank you Sesha,:: _she told her friends who moved to coil back under her robes.

Lupin's amber eyes were wide. "You're a parselmouth."

Melinda nodded. "I thought everyone knew that now? You know, it being in the prophet and all."

Lupin coughed. "Yes, well I don't believe everything I read in the prophet. Now uh, you should eat the chocolate, it'll make you feel better."

Melinda nodded and took a bite of the chocolate bar. It was good, the kind that melted in your mouth. Probably from Honeydukes, and sure enough it was a Honeydukes chocolate bar. The best kind in her opinion. She would have preferred a chocolate frog though.

"What was that thing?" Melinda asked suddenly.

Lupin sighed. "That was a Dementor. Nasty creature, guards the Wizard prison, Azkaban."

Hermione blanched. "They keep those beast around prisoners!" she choked out. "Isn't that kind of inhumane."

"Some believe that, but they've been used like that for so long no one bothers to care what goes on at Azkaban," Lupin said, obviously he wasn't to fond of them either.

"Now, I need to go talk to the conductor," Lupin said, walking over to the open compartment door.

"You four will be alright? Good, make sure to eat all of it Melinda. Dementors have nasty side effects."

With that he left, shutting the door behind him and Melinda sighed.

"Tell me about it," she said, taking another bite of the chocolate.

**xXx**

"I heard you fainted on the train Potter," Pansy Parkinson sneered as the four friends sat at the Gryffindor table, their backs to the Slytherins.

Melinda turned, glaring at the pug faced girl. "Do you want to meet Sesha, Parkinson?"

The words were low and more cold then she meant them to be but her night had went from annoying to straight shit the moment the Dementor tried to kiss her – she could only assume that was what it was trying to do since her friends seemed freaked out, and it was apparently what Dementors did from what Neville would say.

As if to help her claim Sesha raised up from her place on left arm – with her size it took some maneuvering but she till fit for now. Parkinson's eyes widened and she lurched back suddenly.

"You're psychotic Potter," Parkinson hissed and Melinda snorted, turning her back to the Slytherin table.

Her friends were giving her either disapproving, or amused and apprehensive looks. She smiled, picking her fork back up to push around her food some.

"What? She's annoying," Melinda said, and Ron and Neville snickered while Hermione huffed.

"You still shouldn't use Sesha to make someone afraid. Fear is never the answer," Hermione lectured, shaking her fork at them and Melinda sighed.

"Maybe not, but it get rid of Parkinson," Melinda said. "Sorry, I'm just not having the best day Mione."

"Mel!"

Melinda looked down about two spaces to see Ginny sitting with Collin Creevey and a few others she didn't know names to.

"Ginny," she greeted and got up, walking over to sit across from the redhead for a moment. "What's up?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright, I heard about the Dementor," Ginny said. She then pulled out a piece of parchment. "Also, Luna told me to give this to you."

Melinda took it, it was simply folded over a few time and had her name scrawled on the front.

"Thanks Gin," she said. "I'm doing fine, though I don't want to have another encounter anytime soon."

Ginny nodded, understanding and Mel stood back up.

"I'll see you around Gin," Melinda said, waving as she began to return to her seat.

On the way he went deliberately slow and opened the parchment.

_Mel,_

_I thought it would be a good idea to find a place to train. I know you don't have camp during the summer and it must be difficult to do so here, but I've found a place that might be helpful. Meet me in the Library tomorrow._

_Luna. _

Melinda folded the letter back over and took her seat beside Hermione, stuffing the letter into her robes.

"What was that?" Ron asked, his mouth full of food. Melinda grimaced and shook her head.

"Nothing, she just wanted to make sure I was alright after the Dementor."

They didn't seem completely convinced, especially Hermione, but they let it go.

**xXx**

Sunday came quick for Melinda, and she made sure to wake before the others. It was around six before she left the common room to head to the library. On the way she had to dodge behind a suit of armor to avoid Lupin, though she almost felt as if the man knew she was there from the hesitance he showed as he walked past.

It took her a few more minutes to get to the Library and he wasn't surprised to see Luna already there. What did surprise her was the tall redheaded head boy with her. Percy Weasley.

"Melinda, I'm glad you could make it," Luna said, smiling.

Percy looked at her and nodded. "So, you're a demigod as well?"

"Yeah, and so are you. Everyone is full of surprises it seems," Melinda said.

"Good, you get along," Luna spoke dreamily. "Now, we need to head out to the seventh floor, it's were the room is."

Percy and Melinda both looked at Luna in surprise.

"What room?" Percy asked. He hadn't known he was a demigod for long, only six years now. He had known Luna was one for nearly as long, and while they were not friends so to say, they were on friendly terms. He supposed the same went for him and Melinda now.

"The Room of Requirement," Luna said, smiling. She then began her slight skip down the hall, where they assumed she was heading for the seventh floor.

Exchanging looks they followed after the dreamy blonde.

Luna enplaned in the way that she and Ginny had come across it last year but had no use for it. Luna had said that they'd probably found it because she was a demigod and Ginny clear sighted, it was hard for the youngest Weasley to get lost in places because of this. She tended to find things no else did.

"Wow," Melinda said as they entered the R.O.R. It was a large area, perfect for training. With that thought in mind she even saw dummies shoot out of the floor for just that purpose.

"This is amazing," Percy said, looking around. "Has no one ever found this place before?"

"I'm sure they have Percival," Luna said, smiling.

"Percival?" Melinda muttered, trying to choke down laughter.

Percy rolled his eyes. "My mother thought it had character."

Melinda nodded, and couldn't help but feel thankful her mother had went simple and named her Melinda Pearl, a name that wasn't all that uncommon. There was a Pearl in Hufflepuff her age and a Melinda a year above in Gryffindor. She remembered going to primary school with two other Melindas as well.

"Now, how about we begin," Luna said, pulling off one of her radish earrings which became a sai, then the other.

Both were made of what looked like the same pewter as the choker Luna had gotten her for her birthday.

Percy pulled a long broad sword from his robes, in the same material as Luna's sais.

"It's Celestial Pewter," Luna said. "There is a extreme lack of it in this realm it would seem."

Melinda nodded and then pulled off her ring, allowing it to grow to Trident form.

Percy and Luna both gazed at it in surprise and awe. She supposed it was rather impressive but no more so then their weapons.

"It's enchanted," Luna noticed. "Able to turn into a sword as well."

Percy blinked. "Amazing. You know I wasn't sure if she was pulling my leg or not when she said Poseidon was your father."

Melinda smirked, her grip tightening around Tachýs. "Well, now you know she was being completely serious."

A few seconds later the three were battling each other to get a feel on what the other already knew and where they needed improvement. They didn't leave until lunch rolled around.

**xXx**

"You are an idiot," Melinda said as she sat on the edge of Draco's hospice bed.

Draco groaned, his arm in a sling. She chuckled, poking him in the arm, making him shoot up and rub his injured arm where she poked him.

"Why am I an idiot?" he asked. "And why'd you poke me, that hurt."

"Don't be such a drama queen Dray," she said, shaking her head. "I'm just wondering where you brain ran off too when you decided to provoke that Hippogriff with Parkinson."

"I left it in the bathroom this morning?" he asked almost innocently, or in a way that said, 'please believe me'. Either that or he was trying to lighten the mood by being funny.

She frowned. "I think you flushed it down the toilet more like."

"Okay, so it wasn't my brightest moment," Draco said, rolling his eyes.

"Nope." Melinda sighed. "Here, try not to be the hero to often Draco. I don't think it would have been much of a lose if Parkinson got a hurt arm."

Draco laughed, taking the chocolate from his friend. "Thanks. You must really hate Pansy though."

Melinda frowned. "She annoys me. It's like she noticed you've laid off me and my friends so she needs to pick up where you left off."

"Sorry about that," Draco said. "So are you going to Hogsmeade?"

Melinda sighed, shaking her head. "Doesn't look like it. The muggles wouldn't sign it, not that I was home when I got the form."

"Right, I heard about that. You stayed at the Leaky Cauldron all of August."

"Yep, best month of my life," she laughed.

"Times up!" Poppy called as she entered the room. "Time is up Ms. Potter. You can come back tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll see you before the year is up."

Melinda smiled at the school nurse and stood. "Bye Draco," she said, waving once before leaving.

**xXx**

The first month at Hogwarts wasn't anything really new. She did try to stay as far from areas Dumbledore warned the Dementors would be. She actually didn't go anywhere without Sesha or Abyss, Tachýs and or wand. Dementors may not be monsters in the mythic sense but something told her they'd be just a drawn to her scent as any other monster.

Her first DADA class turned out to be the best in the three years she'd been at Hogwarts. Lupin was actually very competent professor, and his classes were never boring. The first class involved a Bogart.

Bogarts were shape-shifters, and changed into a persons deepest fears. She hadn't been looking forward to seeing what her fear was, not to mention she had no idea what she would fear. Voldemort didn't scare her, especially not after second year – at least not to the point of her Bogart being him. When she was younger it might have been her relatives, but she had very little love, fear or respect for them now.

"Everyone line up now," Lupin said, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Wands at the ready, and remember to be very clear with your incantation."

Neville went first. She expected his Bogart to be Snape, but to her surprise it changed into two people she couldn't recognize. It seemed Lupin did though. The man looked a bit like Neville, the woman even more so.

Neville choked as he pulled his wand. The Bogarts didn't do much, not even speak but they stared at Neville as if they'd never laid eyes on him before.

With a chocked voice Neville said, "Riddikulus!"

The Bogarts changed to that of completely healthy and observant people.

"Neville," the woman spoke, and they both smiled proudly. It sort of confused everyone since we were under the impression it was supposed to be funny, this was not. Neville was quickly pulled away from the line by Lupin who seemed to try to comfort the boy by the window where Lupin observed the class.

"What was that?" Ron asked, looking confused and concerned.

"I don't know," Hermione suddenly said from behind us and we spun surprised. "But it obviously hit Neville hard."

"When did you get here?" Melinda asked, and Hermione shrugged.

"I was always here. Pay attention Mellie," Hermione said, slightly scolding.

Soon it was Ron's turn and sure enough it turned into a giant spider. She heard Hermione grimace from behind her but do little else and suddenly everyone was laughing. The spider had skates on, and then there was a giant snake which made Melinda laugh since she could understand what it was saying as it hissed at Padma – or was that Parvati? Those two twins always confused her. Another was afraid of mummies, another of bees.

Soon it was her turn and she stepped up with only a little worry. She noticed Lupin stand up straighter as she was confronted with the Bogart which after a second turned into a large black cloaked corpse like being. She gulped, her eyes wide.

A Dementor, her greatest fear was a Dementor.

It's effects seemed instant, faint screaming in her head and then both Lupin and Neville sprung forward. Lupin in front of her and Neville pulled her to the side with him.

She watched in confusion and shock at the Dementor turned into a large circular shape in the front of Professor Lupin, a full moon. But who would be afraid of a full moon?

"Riddikulus!" he exclaimed and the moon turned into a deflating moon and zoomed around. Lupin got the Bogart back into the wardrobe and turned to everyone.

"Well, that was a eventful class," he said, smiling. "Now, I want at least one foot on how what a Bogart is and how what it turns into can change the outcome of the spell. Now move along to your next class."

"A Dementor?" Ron whispered on their way out. "You're afraid of Dementors?"

Melinda rolled her eyes. "More realistic then a spider Ronald."

Ron flushed red. "Sorry mate, it's just I've never seen a Bogart turn into a Dementor."

"Nev," Hermione began hesitantly. "What was your Bogart, anyways?"

Neville's face fell even more as he looked at his feet.

"They were my parents."

Neville, Hermione and Melinda looked at him in shock.

"You're afraid of your parents?" Melinda asked. "They're not..."

Neville looked at her with a harsh glare at first and then sighed, shaking his head.

"They're the best, or at least they would be. Not long after You-Know-Who went after the Potter's and lost his body, a group of his followers went after my parents." He gulped. "They were tortured into insanity, they're at St. Mungos and have been ever sense."

"Oh, Neville!" Hermione gasped, her eyes misty.

Melinda frowned. "I'm sorry Nev, maybe they can be helped?"

"It's been twelve years, if they haven't found a cure yet what chances do they have now?"

The three friends watched as their fourth member walked off, his hands stuffed in his pockets and head bowed.

"I wish there was something we could do," Hermione said.

_::Mistress,::_ Sesha spoke up and Mel looked to where Sesha had raised her head up.

_::Yes Sesha?:: _

"She's talking to her again," she heard Ron mutter to Hermione. "I hate it when she does that."

"Grow up Ronald," Hermione snapped back.

_::Why don't you try the Pearl?::_ Sesha asked, and Melinda blinked.

That might work, but then Neville's parents were mortals and she doubted half a drop or less would fix insanity. She didn't even know if it'd cure insanity.

_::It's too dangerous Sesha. The water is similar to nectar and ambrosia, to much can be bad for mortals or even demigods. I'm able to tolerate more of it being a child of the sea.:: _

Sesha hissed sadly and then raised back up. _::What if you created a potion of some sort using the water? There must be a way.:: _

Melinda bit her lip. _::It has promise,:: _she said._ ::I'll get some books and see if there is anything in my grimoire. I'll also need to know what spell was used to drive the Longbottoms mad. It's a brilliant idea Sesha.::_

Sesha hissed proudly.

"Care to share?" Hermione asked and Melinda smiled.

"Just something Sesha thought of, one day I'll share it with you," she said and her friends looked at her worried and suspiciously before nodding.

They knew Melinda had her secrets and after what happened last year with the diary, they were willing to let her have them. One day she would tell them.

They ended up with potions next and of course Snape hadn't changed one little bit. If anything he'd gotten meaner. Add to that the fact Parkinson was in a mood, bitching about her wrist – when Draco had pushed her out of the way she fallen on her wrist, not only spraining it but causing a large gash on her arm from a rock.

After that class time flew by, soon it was the first Hogsmeade day. Of course she couldn't go, not even trying to get McGonagall to sign it worked.

"Only a guardian can sign it Ms. Potter. I am not so it would be inappropriate," the stern woman had said.

Never mind the fact her relatives were lousy good for nothing people. She couldn't get her father or Hecate to sign it either, she was pretty sure giving a permission slip signed by a god or goddess wouldn't fly with McGonagall either.

With Hermione and Ron fighting already things were beginning to shape into a semi-normal year compared to the last two. She should have realized with it being Halloween things were bound to take a plummet of a Olympus size mountain.

"You knew my parents, didn't you professor?" Melinda asked as she sulked. She'd been on one of the covered bridges, overlooking the ground and water below when Professor Lupin had wondered over.

"How did you guess?" he asked after a moment of shock.

"The way you look at me is how everyone who knew my parents look at me. As if they're seeing them and not me."

Lupin frowned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Lupin said. "You do look so much like your mother. If it weren't for your hair color I wouldn't be able to see any of James in you."

Melinda bit her lip, of course he wouldn't. She and James weren't related, not by blood.

"I get that sometimes," she said. "Professor, why did you stop me from facing the Bogart myself?"

Lupin looked at the girl who was so much like her mother it was rather scary to him. She she had differences in her appearance, with his better then human eyesight he saw things others didn't. He saw the fact that her skin was tanner then either James or Lily.

He saw that her hair wasn't quite black but close enough that in the right lightning you'd think it was. He saw that her eyes were not the bright emerald Lily had but a mix of emeralds and sea green. A color which seemed to be either or at times of great emotion for the girl.

"I will be honest with you Melinda. I feared your Bogart would be Voldemort, but before I could stop you from see the Bogart you were already facing it. When it became a Dementor I was shocked. I'd never known anyone to have a fear of Dementors to the point that their Bogart would become one," Lupin explained.

Melinda nodded. "I understand. I did think of Voldemort at first but truth be told I am not as afraid of the man as many seem to be."

"Wise, or very foolish," Lupin commented. "I can't decide."

"That spell you used on the train to drive it away... do you think you could teach me?"

He blinked, caught off guard by her question. "I am frankly surprised by that request Melinda. Under normal circumstances I would decline. The Patronus charm isn't easy to learn, especially not for a third year. Tell me, why do you wish to learn it?"

"They have a terrible effect on me. Like on the train, or even in class with the Bogart. I heard screaming..." Melinda bit her lip. "I think it's my mom. The night Voldemort killed her and Ja-dad."

If Lupin caught her near slip up he didn't let on.

"I see," Lupin said. "I will think on it Melinda, it would have to wait if we did though. For a little while anyways."

Melinda nodded, her hand moving to stroke Sesha's agitated scales. For some reason Sesha felt strange around Professor Lupin, on alert like there was a larger predator around.

"Thank you Professor," she said.

**xXx**

Sirius Black had been in Hogwarts. He'd tried to get into the Gryffindor common room during the feast Halloween night. She should have known something like this would happen. She was lucky that she was never attacked by monsters while here – if you didn't count the Basilisk and Voldemort.

Sleeping on the floor of the Great Hall wasn't nearly as nice as it sounds – not that it sounds nice mind you. Melinda was so very close to claiming to hate this year the most – which was stupid since she still had so many years to go before she could look back on her seven years at Hogwarts and pin point where everything went wrong, and in what year.

To put it bluntly she was getting so sick of this, what she really wanted was some peace or even better yet – to talk to her father!

She'd not seen or heard from him... well directly in years. Four or five, truthfully she'd lost count. She just needed some kind of sign that he cared. That this wasn't some cosmic joke and she was the star of it. The only thing really saving her nerves was Quidditch. For one thing she felt free when she was in the air, like it was there to comfort her.

She didn't know why, but then it wouldn't be the only place she felt like that. She always felt at home in a dark silent room, maybe from spending so many years in the darkness of her former bedroom – the Cupboard under the stairs? Then there was the water, the ocean.

She'd always felt happy and at home at the ocean – not that she'd been but once and even then that had been brief and against her relatives will. She'd felt just as at home in fresh water as well, and being Poseidon's daughter had allowed her to skip the learning to swim phase. It came naturally to her, thanks the gods or she'd have drowned at a very early age.

Then there was the training she, Luna and Percy did every Sunday – well every other Sunday since Percy was a seventh year and head boy. The currently oldest Weasley at Hogwarts had a lot to do. With the help of R.O.R and having Luna and Percy to train with she'd improved her skills with both Trident, Shield and Sword.

Luna had even helped her when it came to a staff – Luna thought it would be beneficial to learn how to use a common staff or Bo staff since her Trident was basically a metal staff with a three pronged bladed fork on top. From there she could only get better.

Unfortunately with the pluses there were the down sides.

Lupin became sick not long after the whole Sirius Black in the castle thing and Snape took over his lessons. If she'd thought Dementors sucked the life out of you she'd never had to sit through a DADA class taught by Snape – until then at least. She prayed to Hecate she never had to put up with it again.

"Ignorant girl," Snape had sneered at Hermione when she'd done nothing more then answer his question about Werewolves and Animagus'.

She was so close to snapping it wasn't funny, and she made it clear while they worked on the essay on werewolves he'd assigned. She was so tempted not to do it, but Hermione was pretty strict about that sort of thing. It wasn't like she was allergic to work.

"He's just so unfair!" she exclaimed angrily, not caring how childish it sounded. "What gives him any right to talk to us that way? All Mione did was answer his freakin' question."

Ron nodded, and Neville read from his book on the subject of werewolves and animagus'.

"Mel, don't worry about it," Hermione said, still scratching away at her parchment.

Melinda sighed. "I know, but it just makes me so angry."

"Everything seems to make you angry these days Mel," Ron said. "Maybe it's PMS?"

Neville choked on his own tongue while Hermione and Melinda glared fiercely at Ron who looked down almost fearfully.

"Don't make me resort of drastic measures Ronald," Melinda warned, even if Ron wasn't that far off. She wasn't going to tell him that though.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

"Good," Hermione said. "So, you have the match between against Slytherin tomorrow."

Melinda had to admit that was a great way to change the subject, and of course it worked flawlessly. The talk that followed on Quidditch made Melinda completely forget about Snape.

The next morning she woke early. After showering and dressing for the day, braiding her hair as she was prone to doing these days she gather her bag and went to wait in the common room for everyone to wake up. She made a point of pulling out her blank book and a couple books on the unforgivable – not exactly how to preform them but just books of others research on them and their purpose.

She had begun a in-depth search into the Cruciatus curse and any possible way to cure the insanity it could cause. So far she'd had some leads but it was slow and on going. It could be years before she hit anything that would work. Twenty minutes latter she put her stuff away and as she did she noticed the mirror she'd gotten for her birthday. She hadn't given it much thought but now she was curious.

At first it seemed just like a normal mirror. Nothing special about it at all, and then it began to glow slightly and the mirror surface shimmered like water. Inside she could clearly see an underwater scenery. Then a man er merman with green skin, black hair and ocean colored eyes came into focus. She knew it wasn't her father but he resembled Poseidon.

"Who are you?" the man in the mirror asked.

She gaped, her green eyes wide.

"Who are you?" she asked, defensively after a moment.

The man arched an eyebrow. "I asked first."

She pursed her lips, her eyebrows coming together in concentration and annoyance.

"Well...I'm...I was," She growled. "You're the one who's appearing in my mirror buddy!"

To her surprise the man looked mused, laughing for a moment. "I'm Triton."

Melinda's eyes widened. "Triton?"

Oh shit, was her first thought.


	12. The Years Before: Year Three IV

**AN: Okay, so here we go. The last part of year three. Sorry it took so long, it was longer then I thought it would be. Also her Christmas present was an idea given to me by a reviewer, I am sorry I can't remember their names but they know who they are.**

**Also I don't who has noticed but there is a poll on my profile for Melinda's main pairing. I will be closing it by next Friday, August 17th, so please go vote.**

**Next we'll go into year four. Almost halfway through her years at Hogwarts and then we're off to camp. I hope you all are enjoying this story, and please let me know what you think in a review. Reviews are the food which keeps my muse in business and this story going.**

**Anyways, Enjoy and R&R!.**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 11: The Years Before: Year Three IV. **

Triton was pacing.

Well, he was doing the merman version of pacing, seeing as he had two tails and no legs – at least not while he was in the ocean. Still, he was confused on what to do next. Confront his father about the mirror and the girl on the other side or keep it to himself.

His father had broken his vow... what a surprise; Note the heavy sarcasm.

He had been coming to have an audience with his father about a problem the whales seemed to be having – story of his life. His father had been strangely absent, then a mirror he'd never come across before had begun to glow and shimmer. Picking it up he then saw a girl in the reflection instead of himself.

The girl couldn't be much older then thirteen or fourteen. She was pretty though, with tanned skin, delicate yet sharp features and eyes a very unique color. They were emerald colored at first glance but then when she shifted in the light he could tell that it was an illusion. They were not emerald green but a sea green with emerald intermixed.

She also had an attitude it seemed, but for once it just amused him.

Melinda Potter, that was what she told him her name was. It was obvious from her looks and eyes who she was. Demigod daughter of Poseidon. After she'd introduced herself the mirrors had only continued to connect for a minute or two when someone began coming down from what he assumed was her dorm rooms.

Which left him where he was now, pacing, deciding what to do about this development.

"Melinda Potter," he muttered under his breath and sighed.

For some reason he didn't think he wanted to say anything about his discovery to his father or his mother. His mother would definitely alert Zeus and the other Olympians. He was aware of the prophecy, Melinda would probably be killed for being born.

He could see why his father was protecting her. She had a personality unlike any of his mortal half siblings he'd known before – all of which had been male. It was exceedingly uncommon that he have half-sisters that were mortal or even human in appearance.

"Fine," he said, nodding. "For now your secret is safe with me. Don't prove that you're like the other arrogant heroes Melinda."

**xXx**

Melinda was relieved when Hermione came down, interrupting what was bound to be a awkward conversation. At least now she knew what the mirror was; a Looking glass. It was explained in her grimoire as one of the few magical objects in the world demigods sometimes acquired. The Looking Glass would allow for communication but only through those with identical mirrors. Otherwise it was a good way of spying on anyone you knew anywhere in the world. Except Tartarus and Olympus that is.

After Hermione it wasn't long before Ron and Neville came down – rather early but then it was the first Quidditch match of the season, they wouldn't miss that for the world.

Unfortunately it almost seemed like the world wanted everyone to miss it. Not long before the game began a thunder storm of deadly proportions began. Seeing the lightning strike in the dark gloomy sky above, and hearing the thunder clap gave Melinda a bad feeling.

Zeus was either in a bad mood or it was an omen that she should turn around now and not play.

"The first game of the season," Oliver began as they prepared for the game. "We're gonna win this, how could we not with Mel on our side?"

"Unless Malfoy's gained talent..." Fred began, smirking.

George nodded, and finished for his twin, "...Then we'll be fine."

"Have none of you heard that storm outside?" Katie asked, shivering. "There is anti-lightning charms on these brooms right?"

"Of course," Oliver said as if it wasn't a life or death sort of question.

Melinda gulped. Anti-lightning charm or not she didn't think it mattered if Zeus figured out who she was in mid flight. Thankfully she didn't think the gods spent all their time observing everyone in their domains, or on other parts of the country besides western civilization – she wasn't too sure that included England anymore.

There weren't many demigods here for a reason. Death and not many wondered across the pond to knock a mortal up.

"Now, we're gonna win this game and the cup at the end of the year," Oliver said, looking at them with glazed eyes. "It's my last year as your captain guys, I need this win!"

The or else was silent but the message was clear from the narrowed gaze of his hazel-blue eyes.

Minutes later the teams were up in the air. Melinda felt the wind, rain and even the heat the lightning left at it struck in the air as she flew. It wasn't easy either seeing that it wasn't the smooth flying she was used to, and her goggles kept getting so fogged up and rained on it was hard for her to see two inches in front of her face.

"Mellie!" Fred yelled as he flew beside her, startling her. "Try to keep an eye out for those Bludgers ."

Melinda's eyes widened and she looked around just in time to see George slamming a Bludger away from her with his bat. She turned back, smiling at Fred.

"Thanks Fred," she cried over the storm. He nodded and sped off, leaving her to attempt to look for the snitch.

The search wasn't going to good. Multiple times she was almost unseated by a Bludger and it seemed even in this unpredictable weather the Slytherin Beaters were unsympathetic. Thankfully only a few of the Slytherin team seemed unphased by the storm, many had collided with something or someone.

She'd witnessed many of her own teammates and the other team fall to the ground – thankfully not from very high up.

She wasn't sure how long they'd been playing when Hooch called a time out, but it was pretty dark out.

"We're getting razed out there," Angelina said as the Gryffindor team formed a circle once they'd landed on the ground. All of them were soaked to the bone and frozen from the rain.

"Razed?" George teased. "Who uses words like that in everyday language?"

Angelina's brown eyes narrowed and Melinda snickered along with the other female players when the chaser slapped the redhead over the back of the head.

"We have to get through it. We can't loose this game guys," Oliver said, determined. "That cup should have had our names on it the last two years. We have the best team currently at Hogwarts other then Diggory's. If we were playing them I'd be worried... but it's Slytherin. Malfoy won't be able to catch the snitch with Melinda playing."

"That's the problem though, I can't see what's in front of my face with this stupid rain!" Melinda announced, and it was true. If only she could make it so the rain didn't get her wet, but she'd had to turn her most dominate of powers of water off as to not raise questions.

Oliver looked ready to cry at her words and then Hermione ran over.

"How are you doing Mel?" she asked.

"If I could see in this storm I'd be great," Melinda replied.

"I can't believe they're holding the game in this weather," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Anyways, I thought that might be a problem so I came prepared."

Hermione took her goggles and tapped her wand to the protective glasses. _"Impervius!" _

Melinda took back her glasses in awe, why hadn't she thought of that?

"They'll repel water now," Hermione said. "Good luck Mel. Sesha sends her best."

Melinda looked at her friend and frowned. "Did you really leave her with Ron and Neville?"

Hermione smirked. "They have to get more used to her somehow. Bye!"

With that Hermione was running back to the stands and Oliver looked like he wanted to kiss someone. The grin on his face got so big Melinda worried it'd get stuck that way.

"Brilliant!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist. "Now we'll win for sure. As long as we get the snitch soon, otherwise we'll be stuck playing into the night."

The team nodded, some groaning at the idea of playing into the night.

A minute later Melinda was back in the air, flying back and forward through the sky, trying to keep as close to the ground as she could. Unfortunately when she caught sight of the snitch it was higher then she really wanted to venture in the storm or her instincts recommended.

Melinda jumped as there was another clap of thunder and a strong bright streak of lightning. She felt the hair on the back of her neck and even on her arms stand up. This was becoming dangerous, especially for her.

"Melinda!" Oliver yelled, pointing in a direction slightly behind her. She turned to see Draco had also caught sight of the snitch.

"Sorry Mel, but I can't let you have that snitch," Draco cried over the storm, smirking in her direction.

She scoffed. "You'll have to catch it first Dray!"

With that they both sped after the snitch which kept getting higher. As they got higher, lightning flashed and she was momentarily distracted by a black shape beside the stands in the field. A large black dog – a grim wasn't it?

She came back to reality to just barely avoid a Bludger. Soon she was ahead of Draco, but just barely. Holding out her hand as she got closer to the snitch and then all Hades broke loose.

The air became even colder, everything became eerily silent and the feeling of dread came to her in an instant. This was something she knew, it was the feeling she got when Dementors were near.

"Oh shit," Draco said, noticing the Dementors which had come onto the field, some not far below them.

"Dementors," Melinda whispered, her eyes growing wide and dilating as she lost focus. Even as they came higher, towards her. She realized they must be drawn to her scent after all.

She could do anything though, there was screaming inside her head. The woman from the train, from class. She was screaming, she was begging.

"_Please, not Melinda! Please, take me instead!" _

"_Step aside girl, step aside!" _

"_No, please not Melinda. She's just a baby, please have mercy!" _

"_Silly girl, step aside!" _

Melinda was numb, and she felt as if she was falling. She was falling through a mist, her body felt as if it was lacking bones and she felt as if she was seeing but not seeing at the same time.

As she hit something hard, yet not as hard as she'd expected, she could hear screams again. This time when her name was screamed, she could hear not only her mothers last word in the land of the living but she could hear her friends. But it was more then that, it almost seemed like nearly everyone as well.

Her last thoughts were that this would go down as the Quidditch Match from hell.

**xXx**

When Melinda woke a day later she found out she'd fallen from nearly 120 feet. If it hadn't been for Professor Dumbledore she'd be a blood smear on the Quidditch Pitch. Sesha had been coiled up on her chest – much to madam Pomfrey's displeasure, but it wasn't like she could make Sesha leave. Familiars were finicky like that.

It didn't surprise Melinda too much that Hedwig was on her headboard when she woke as well. The bird and snake hadn't left her side for more then a second since she'd been brought in. She also found out they'd lost the game, Draco had actually caught the snitch before he realized she was falling and tried to help her – which she was sure he played off to any Slytherin who might have seen.

Her broom, her poor, poor broom had met an unfortunate fate as it crashed into the Whomping Willow. The one tree that hits back and her broom had to hit it. Typical.

On another gloomy note, Oliver had been in the showers basically the whole time she was out – Fred though he might be trying to drown himself. The only good thing that came out of that game was that Lupin had agreed to teach her the Patronus. Unfortunately she'd have to wait until the new term seeing as he'd chosen an unfortunate time to fall ill.

She had her suspicions about that. His illnesses seemed to correspond oddly enough in a way that sparked that part of her brain that was dedicated to surviving monsters. Not to mention Sesha's odd behavior around him. She didn't bother voicing it or even attempting to figure it out, she had other things to worry about.

Like the research into finding a cure for Neville's parents – she'd hit a wall and was now attempting to find a way around it without letting her grades slip (Ancient Runes was no walk in the park).

Soon though the snow started falling and Christmas approached. She wasn't to sure how she felt about this since another Hogsmeade trip arrived and she was once again stuck in the castle.

_::Why don't you use your cloak Mistress?:: _Sesha suggested once and Melinda felt as if she could hit herself.

Why didn't she think of that?

_::It's brilliant Sesha,:: _she said, stroking Sesha's scales and head. The snake hissed in thanks and she made sure to have her cloak on her as she darted to where the students were already leaving.

"Oh no..." she heard a familiar voice begin.

"...you don't," another almost identical voice finished and she swore as the twins hooked their arms through hers and began pulling her back towards the castle.

"Fred, George!" Mel hissed and the twins chuckled.

"Calm down Lin-Lin," Fred said as they got closer to a place under a staircase where they'd be out of sight.

"We're not going to hurt you or scold you," George finished and once under the stairs they pulled the cloak off and Melinda stood, glaring at the two twins.

"You're lucky I told Sesha not to bite anyone unless they were actually attacking me," Melinda snapped, crossing her arms. "What is this about?"

"You want to go to Hogsmeade," George said.

Fred nodded. "And we don't want you to get caught,"

"So..." George began.

"We've decided you need this more then we do," Fred finished, pulling out a large piece of old parchment.

Melinda stared from the parchment in front of her to the twins. "A spare bit of parchment?"

The twins scoffed. "Not just any spare bit of parchment Lin," they said in unison.

"This here is the Marauders Map," George said.

"The secret to our success," Fred said, nodding.

"Marauders Map?" Melinda asked, her brow furrowed. She'd heard that name before, she had a small bag of prank potions and other things from her mother's trunk that had belonged to the Marauders. Maybe there was something in one of her journals?

"It's a complete map of Hogwarts - " Fred began.

" – anyone can be seen on it, observe," George finished and Fred brought out his wand and tapped the parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," they said in unison and the map appeared.

Melinda gaped at it, and the words on the front. "Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would like to proudly present... the Marauders Map."

The twins grinned and opened the map, showing detailed layouts of the castle, even secrets passage ways. What really surprised her though was the name floating around the page and the little footsteps below the names.

"See, the map shows everything in the castle and everyone," Fred said.

"Where they are -"

"What they're doing - "

"At any time of day," the finished together.

"Dumbledore is pacing his office," Fred said pointing to where Albus Dumbledore's name floated in his office, walking back and forth. "He's been doing that a lot lately."

"That's amazing," Melinda said, awed. "And you're giving this to me?"

The twins nodded. "We've memorized all the secret passageways,"

George nodded his agreement. "And know the school like the back of our hands."

"You need this more then we do," Fred finished their train of thought.

"So is there an easy way to Hogsmeade using this?" she asked after a second, eyebrow raised in a mischievous manner.

The twins laughed. "Why of course there is Lin-Lin," they said in unison.

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Don't call me Lin-Lin."

Melinda found herself in Hogsmeade not long after, the twins letting her know which passageways still worked and which ones were out of order or in other words – caved in. With her cloak on Melinda could easily find her friends without being spotted, well, as long as no one looked down. She'd forgotten her boots would make prints in the snow.

"Do you think Mel would like some of these?" Ron asked, and Melinda came up behind him, Hermione and Neville. They were looking at all the candies in Honeydukes, but at this time he had a pack of cockroach clusters in his hand.

Melinda almost gagged. Chocolate frogs were one thing but this...she didn't know who'd want to eat that.

"Definitely not," Melinda said and she laughed as her three friends jumped out of their skin, turning around. She took off her cloak after a second and her friends stared with wide eyes.

"What are you doing here!?" Hermione hissed, looking around with alarm. "Sirius Black is looking for you, he could be anywhere!"

Melinda sighed. "Maybe, but I refused to hide away because of him. I think I deserve the chance to come here."

Hermione bit her lip, calming down a bit and Ron nodded along with Neville.

"I think Mel's right Mione," Ron said. "It's not fair she can't come. I think it's brilliant she found a way around it."

"I think Ron and Hermione are right, but I think Melinda can handle it. She's handle worse then an escaped convict," Neville said and Hermione and Ron nodded after a second.

The thought of their first and second years coming to mind. If she could slay a basilisk she could survive Sirius Black – couldn't she?

Truth was, Melinda Potter could handle a lot of things. Greek gods, goddesses, monsters, her relatives, Voldemort himself, basilisk and betrayal by a diary she thought was her friend. But what she couldn't get past was the truth about Sirius Black.

"That's not the worst. Sirius Black was and remains to this day – Melinda Potter's Godfather." McGonagall had revealed this in the Three Broomsticks, to Rosmerta, Hagrid, and Minister Fudge. Having no idea the girl in question was hiding under her cloak, listening to every words.

"He was their friend."

"Potter and Black, like brothers. You hardly ever saw one without the other."

"A Gryffindor."

"Betrayed their secret, led You-Know-Who to their home that night."

"Peter Pettigrew, poor lad. Killed by the traitor himself along with twelve muggles."

Those words circled in her mind as she sat under her cloak on a snowy rock. She was beginning to get cold, her tears close to turning to ice at this rate.

She hadn't known that. She hadn't known Sirius Black had been friends with her mom and step-father. She hadn't known he was named her godfather. She hadn't known the reason they were dead was because their friend betrayed them.

"Mel," a soft voice spoke and she looked. She could see Hermione, Ron, Neville and even Luna, Ginny, Astoria and Daphne.

Hermione must have grabbed them on the way, because she knew Ron would have never went to get Astoria, Luna or Daphne otherwise.

"Are you okay?" Astoria asked, coming to kneel down on the other side Mel with her sister. Hermione was on the other side with Luna. Neville and Ron stood beside them.

"Melinda," Hermione muttered, raising a hand and pulling the cloak from shaking shoulders.

None had ever seen her cry like this before. It wasn't the soul crushing sobs or tears but it was the kind you still hated to see on your friend. It was the type that said, I'm crying for someone I can't remember loosing.

"He was their friend," she said, sniffling.

She looked at her friends and they all held back gasps. Her eyes looked so angry, yet sad. They looked like the ocean during a hurricane or a great storm. They were practically terrifying, if looks could kill they had no doubt Melinda could accomplish it.

"We heard," Hermione muttered.

"He was their friend," she repeated her eyes approaching near blackness in her rage. "He was their friend and he _betrayed _them! He sold them out, he's the reason they're_ dead!_"

"I hope he finds me," Melinda said a moment later.

"You don't mean that Mel," Daphne said, worried for her friend.

Melinda looked at them and laughed darkly, so much so everyone had to hold back a shiver. "No, I do. Because when he does, I'm gonna kill him!"

She stood then, collecting her cloak and then stormed off.

Her friends watched as she did, and then they couldn't see her any longer as she threw her cloak on.

"We need to figure something out," Daphne said. "We can't let her wallow in this... rage."

Luna nodded. "Rage is a poison to the heart. To the soul. Her aura is already covered in it though, it'll take a great revelation to calm her."

"Yeah," Ron said slowly. "Whatever Loony said."

"Don't call her Loony Ronald," Hermione snapped.

"It's alright Hermione, I'm used to it. I don't mind," Luna said and truth be told she didn't. Ginny had after all been the one to start calling her that but Ginny had begun it as a nickname. Loony Luna, and Gin had been Ginny-Gin. They'd been five at the time so they weren't very creative or good.

"Let's go," Hermione said. "We should make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

**xXx**

Melinda hadn't been in good spirits since the revelation about Sirius Black. Not even talking to her father seemed to help.

"I see you've found how to work the mirror Lin," Poseidon said, smiling. Melinda could tell he must be in the sea, probably Atlantis.

Melinda nodded, wondering if she should tell him about meeting Triton, but if Triton hadn't told her father then that had to mean he didn't plan to reveal her existence. Because she was no fool, she was sure he realized who she was.

"Yeah."

Poseidon frowned. "Melinda, what is bothering you?"

"You've heard of Sirius Black haven't you?" she finally asked.

Poseidon seemed to think about it and then nodded. "Sure, he was James' best friend, Lily's good friend and your godfather."

Melinda gritted her teeth.

"He was one of the few to know about me, though he never knew I was a god. He thought I was just some squib from America. He died not long after your mother and James did I thought, I never heard from him after September of 1989. Lily had convinced him that someone else should know about the plan to throw Voldemort off."

Melinda blinked, surprised and looked at her father. "What plan?"

Poseidon stared back in wonder. Why did his daughter want to know about Sirius Black? "They were going to make Sirius their secret Keeper, but they made some other friend...uh Pettigrew or something the keeper instead. I was a little confused on what this all meant since I was hardly aware Voldemort was even after Lily and James. Now I realize what she meant."

"So...Sirius Black was never the secret Keeper?" Melinda asked and Poseidon nodded.

"Exactly. Why did you need to know that?"

Melinda sighed and began telling her father of what she'd heard in Hogsmeade. Her father's reaction was very similar to her own but then he seemed to realize what he'd told her.

"Something doesn't sound right Melinda," Poseidon said. "I know what I was told, and that was they were using Sirius as a decoy – of course I was out of the loop about how badly Voldemort wanted them dead or I would have done something to help. Laws be damned."

"I got that feeling too," Mel sighed. "What should I do?"

"Just keep your eyes open Lin," Poseidon said. "There isn't much you can do, and I'd prefer it if you tried not to find ways to get killed this year."

Melinda laughed. "I'll try dad," she said.

Poseidon then sighed. "I'm sorry about this Melinda, but I have to go now. The Winter Solstice will be any moment now and I can't be late."

"I understand," she said.

Poseidon smiled. "Don't be too down little Pearl, it'll be Christmas before long."

Melinda blinked, wondering what was going to be so special about Christmas when the mirror glowed and the connection was cut off.

She sighed. Now not only did she had conflicting stories concerning Sirius Black but she also now had to wonder what her father meant about Christmas.

The days passed rather quietly. Well, besides the fighting between Ron and Hermione taking a whole new turn. It seemed Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, which she seriously doubted seeing as not even Sesha wanted to put that vermin in her mouth and she loved rats.

Well, Sesha would eat practically anything, one reason why it had surprised her that Sesha wouldn't eat Scabbers if he were the last rat on earth.

Hermione, Ron and Neville all went home for the holidays – and despite being invited by Daphne and even Ron to come too she had declined. Her father had hinted at something happening on Christmas and she didn't wish to miss it. Something told her it was going to be...one of her happiest moments.

Finally it was Christmas day and she woke early that morning, wondering what would await her. What had her father meant? She went to the kitchens after dressing for the day and ate breakfast. When she returned to her common room her presents were at the foot of her bed and she smiled.

She received a box of chocolates from Ron. Neville gave her a book on muggle healing herbs and plants, the note said he'd noticed she was getting more into Potions and thought this would help her. She would look through it later, but she wasn't sure it would be much help with the research she was doing.

Hermione got her a new journal seeing as she'd nearly filled the first one up. She also got her a pretty rare book on Potions from Ancient Greek and Roman times – Hermione had found it while in Diagon Alley, the only already Greek or Latin book in the store.

Hermione couldn't read it herself but she'd reorganized the language. Luna had given her a box of homemade fudge, citing that she was unsure what to get her for Christmas and they were tight on money at the moment anyways. Seemed the Quibbler wasn't getting many sells recently.

Daphne and Astoria gave her a new cloak which had the Potter family crest on the right breast area and on the back was a phoenix and sun symbol, something that had been associated with the Potter family for generations. The cloak itself was a bright emerald green, the phoenix was bright red and orange like flames and the the sun it seemed to be soaring over or through was bright golden in it's outline.

It looked like it had cost a fortune but she knew better then to bring that up with the Greengrass sisters, it wasn't like they didn't have the money to spare.

From the Weasleys as a whole she received a green sweater with a golden M on the front. It was similar to the one from her first year but it wasn't pink and green like that one had been. There was also a package of cookies from Mrs. Weasley to go along with it, they looked like Ginny had helped her mother with them from the few that were slightly misshapen and burnt.

Finally there was a single package a letter left.

The package was from Hecate, and inside was a Greek inspired dress in a cream color. It came just below her knees and had a slightly lower then what Melinda liked neckline. After opening it she decided to go change into it to show her great-grandmother she appreciated the gift and placed her new cloak over that.

Both fit perfectly, making her appear a little older then what she really was. The letter she saved for last, and found it was from her father.

_Come to the Lake._

That was all it said.

Melinda blinked but did as instructed, and was thankful Sesha was a snake that liked water and was able to swim or she'd have had to leave her companion in the dorms – something Sesha would not have liked.

"Well, here I am," she said and then walked into the lake, happy that she wouldn't get wet.

Soon she was swimming deeper and further out into the lake.

"Melinda."

Melinda spun around in the water and gasped. In front of her was someone she'd never forget even if he did look a little different in the water. He seemed more powerful, godly in his domain – even if this wasn't the ocean. It was her father. He was smiling widely.

"Dad!" she said happily and without thinking she swam forward, and wrapped him in a hug. To her relief he returned it, laying his chin on the top of her head for a moment before the hug was released.

"Melinda," he said, smiling. "You're beautiful, just like your mother."

Melinda fought off a blush of embarrassment. "Why are you here, I mean I'm glad you are but won't you get in trouble?"

Poseidon shrugged. "I know you've wanted to see me, talk more then through a mirror. I've wanted to come see you, make sure you're doing alright. Make sure those Dursley's were keeping up their word."

Melinda smiled. "Well, they've gotten better since I was little."

Poseidon smiled though he could tell his daughter still didn't like living with her mother's family, and he didn't blame her. If he could he'd have taken her to Atlantis ages ago.

"Now, I also wanted to give you your gift in person," Poseidon said.

"What is it?" she asked and Poseidon pulled out a hair clip, it was medium sized and had a seahorse design.

"May I?" he asked, motioning to her hair and she nodded. She allowed him to pull back some of her hair on the left side and clip it back with the hair clip.

On instinct she touched it and felt it was shimmering, and then she felt it change. It was no longer a hair clip but what felt like a crown or tiara. She raised her hands to her head and felt the tiara and pulled it off. The tiara was beautiful, made of ocean like swirls and what appeared to be diamond which glinted like the sea at times.

"A tiara?" she asked, shocked.

Poseidon chuckled and took it from her hands and positioned it back on her head like before.

"You are my daughter Melinda and I am King of the Seas. You are the first and only Princess of the Seas, seeing as I don't have mortal or even immortal daughters that are human enough to have the position. Until you that is." He smiled.

"When you're older, when things have come out and the prophecy is no longer a problem I shall hold a coronation to make it more official. For now this is the most I can do, the sea creatures will know what it means of course. Not that they wouldn't obey you before but now they will feel more obliged to. When you're not in the water it will return to hair clip form."

Melinda blinked. "Wow," she said. "Uh..dad one more thing. I'm not gonna suddenly sprout a tail am I? I enjoyed the little mermaid but I don't think I really want to be Ariel in reality."

Poseidon laughed loudly, joyfully and amused. "I pretty sure you won't be growing a tail unless you really want to Lin," he said, shrugging. "Though I've never had a demigod daughter before. None of my mortal sons have ever grown tails so I think you'll be fine. To bad though, it would have been adorable."

Melinda flushed, rolling her eyes. "Thanks daddy."

Poseidon's grin widened at that, and for a moment she thought he might cry he was so happy.

"What about Percy?" she asked and Poseidon blinked.

"How did you know his nickname?" he asked, pretty sure he'd never told her his preferred name.

"Demigod dreams, and my first year. He was in the mirror of Erised." Poseidon nodded in understanding.

"I see. And he to will have the same coronation when the prophecy is over. All my mortal children do, much to my wife and son's – your half-brother – displeasure. They seem to think by crowning my children as prince or in your case princess, they'll take the throne from Triton." Poseidon rolled his eyes as if remembering something.

"I don't like to play favorites, but Triton isn't a child anymore, and it's rather stupid for them to think that when only a god or goddess could take the throne. And Triton is the eldest son, unless something happens to him..." Poseidon trailed off shaking his head.

"The point is Percy will be made Prince of the Seas when he is older. I mainly gave you that early because I can actually see you face to face without much of a problem. Your brother Percy doesn't even know who or what I am yet. Then there is the fact boys don't really like to wear crowns, I know my other sons only ever wore theirs when they came to visit me."

Melinda chuckled. He was right about that she supposed, and she was happy the tiara didn't appear out of water because as girly as she could be she didn't think she'd like wearing a crown 24/7.

"Now, I have exactly seven hours before I am missed," Poseidon said holding out his hand. "Would you like to explore the sea my daughter."

Melinda grinned and nodded before turning and hissing a call for Sesha.

"I see Hecate's gift passed on to you," he said, smiling.

"Yeah," she said and then held out a arm for Sesha who Poseidon was eying with surprise and weariness. "Daddy, this is Sesha, one of my familiars."

_::It is a pleasure to meet you, King Poseidon.::_ Sesha hissed, bowing in a snake like manner.

Poseidon chuckled. "What did she say?"

"She said, it is a pleasure to meet you, King Poseidon," Melinda translated and Poseidon smiled.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Sesha and you don't need to call me King, just Poseidon is fine."

The next few hours would always been one of her happiest memories in the coming years.

xXx

The new Term began with a dramatic entrance.

"Buckbeak's been sentenced to death!" Hagrid had cried as he skipped rocks in the lake.

Melinda felt terrible for Hagrid. They had known Parkinson had made a big deal out of it, and even contacted Lucius Malfoy on Draco's behalf. They had known Hagrid had to go to the Ministry for a trail of sorts but none of them had thought Buckbeak would be sentenced to death!

"What can we do? There has to be something?" Hermione said, looking close to tears.

For this once it seemed her and Ron would be civil but she and Neville had to wonder how long that would last.

"Unless they re-sentence him there isn't anything we can do," Neville grumbled.

Ron snorted. "This is stupid. What about talking to Malfoy, he's your friend Mel," Ron said. "Can't you get him to stop the Ministry."

Melinda glared. "Draco had nothing to do with this," she said. "This was Parkinson, and no. Even if Mr. Malfoy did drop his case Buckbeak was sentenced for both the injury of Draco and Parkinson. The Parkinson's would never drop it and Buckbeak would still have his head on the chopping block."

They all sighed or grumbled.

"Why don't we just release him?" Ron asked finally.

"We can't!" Hermione cried. "If we do then the Ministry will suspect Hagrid and he'll get in trouble."

Ron nodded. "Oh, right."

"Oh, how can they be so barbaric!" Hermione cried, throwing her hands up and Melinda nodded.

"It isn't fair," she agreed. "I could always see if Sesha could do something to make it appear as if Buckbeak is dead..." Melinda thought on it, would it possibly work?

"What?" Neville asked what the other two wanted to know.

She looked at her friends and shrugged. "Sesha's venom can be used to paralyze instead of kill. She controls which venom is released, but maybe if she used enough it can make it seem as if Buckbeak's heart had stopped and then we could save him..."

Hermione pursed her lip. "It has promise but what if the executioner decides to cut off his head anyways? Anyone who can have a job like that must be unevenly tempered and disgusting enough to do something like that."

"It's Walden Macnair who is coming to do it," Neville said. "My gran told me about him, he was thought to be a follower of You-Know-Who back in the eighties. He was never convicted."

"Great," Melinda muttered. Looking at her watch Melinda sighed. "Look, I've got to go or I'll be late."

"Where are you going!?" Ron yelled after her and she turned.

"Professor Lupin's going to teach me the Patronus charm!" she cried back and turned back around and ran around the corner.

"Is it just me or is she always on the move?" Ron asked.

Hermione and Neville laughed.

"She's ADHD, of course she never sits still," Hermione said.

"Now, the Patronus is one of the most powerful yet difficult charms you will probably come across," Lupin began not long after Melinda arrived for her lessons.

"What exactly is it used for. I mean how does it work against Dementors?" she asked.

Lupin smiled.

"You have your mother's intelligence it seems," he said. "To answer your question the Patronus is a charm that draws off your positive energy. On the happiness in your life, your happiest memories. These memories must be strong or the charm won't work properly. The silver mist is created from such light and happiness a Dementor which is the exact opposite can not stand to be touched or around it."

"So it's like light vs dark," Melinda said and Lupin nodded.

"Exactly. The Patronus at it's strongest, it's most corporal can also be used to send messages but that is a lesson for a later date. I can't see you needing that skill quite yet," Lupin said and walked over to a cabinet which was slightly shaking.

"I've found a Bogart to use for this, so let us begin," Lupin said and then raised a finger. "Remember, happy memories."

With that Melinda nodded and raised her wand and waited.

"On the count of three – one, two... -" Lupin never said three but Melinda knew when he opened the cabinet and the Bogart emerged at first as a black mass and then as a Dementor.

"_Lily, take Melinda and run!" _

"_James!" _

The voices, her parents were back this time the screams seemed to be different. James was trying to protect them, to stall for time she realized before she shook the voices and tried to find a happy memory. The first to come to mind was when she first flew. It had been a strange day for her but she'd never felt so free then when she'd been flying.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_ she cried and a silver mist shot forth but it was faint and barely seemed to phase the Bogart.

Soon the mist failed and the yells were back. She felt herself fall to the ground and Lupin force the Bogart back into the cabinet.

"That was good Melinda," Lupin said as he helped the girl to stand up and handed her some chocolate.

"Not good enough though," she grumbled, running a hand through her hair.

Lupin chuckled. "For a first attempt, it was great," he said. "If I may ask, what memory were you using?"

Melinda sighed. "It was the first time I ever flew."

Lupin frowned. "That not near good enough. It has to be powerful, the happiest you'd ever felt. I know a lot of people use memories like family holidays. Some even use the birth of a child into their family, be it a niece, son or sibling."

Melinda frowned. "I don't have very many happy memories."

"There has to be something Melinda," he said, but on the inside he was worried about why his friends daughter wouldn't have many happy memories.

"Now, we'll try again tomor – "

"No!" she said suddenly. "I'd like to continue now."

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded. "Alright then, on the count of three."

**xXx**

It took Melinda's two lessons to get the Patronus to work. Eventually it became apparent she would need to focus on her happiest memories. When she first met Poseidon, when she learned her father was alive, when she first saw her parents in the Mirror of Erised. The Christmas she'd spent exploring the sea with her dad.

She'd told Lupin half the truth, that she used a faint memory she had of her parents. Her mother singing a lullaby to her, James playing with her, her dad smiling down at her brightly – of course Lupin thought dad and James were the same person. Not long after the term began a package arrived, a new broom, a Firebolt of all things.

"It could be jinxed Mel!" Hermione cried.

"Mione, who would want to jinx my broom?" Melinda asked, exasperated.

She'd never seen a broom so beautiful then the one she now owned, and it was said to be the fasted broom made to date. It wasn't even on the market in quantity yet. The one she had must have been one of the first ever made.

"Oh I don't know, Sirius Black! Followers of You-Know-Who!?"

The argument continued from there, though Neville stayed well out of it. In the end it resulted in Hermione telling McGonagall and her broom being confiscated to be stripped and searched for harmful spells. Melinda, Ron and Hermione hadn't talked since, well if you didn't count the screaming match between Hermione and Ron when Ron found Scabbers gone and blood on the sheets.

Melinda reckoned Crookshanks was the culprit, she knew Sesha wouldn't touch the vermin. She wasn't to torn up, she'd hated that damn rat. She hated rats period, it was one reason Sesha hunted on her own instead of Melinda bringing her food.

If she didn't hunt the house elves brought a rabbit or two for the snake who had her own large warming rock (more like boulder) in the corner of the girls dorm on Melinda's side – much to her other roommates terror.

"You know this fight is stupid right?" Neville asked as he sat beside her in charms.

"The broom was perfectly safe. Who is going to sell a broom to a criminal, and where would he get the money? I don't see Gringotts letting him make a withdrawal."

Neville sighed. "I know, that makes sense, but Hermione was only worried. You and Ron should forgive her. She's working herself ragged, I don't know how she has time for all of these lessons. She's already quite Divination."

Melinda stopped writing and stared at him. "She takes Divination?"

Neville looked at her as if she'd asked if the grass was green. "You didn't know? I know you take Ancient Runes but where do you think she goes at that time? And somehow she still has time for Ancient Runes too, how she does both I don't know."

"Wait," Melinda said, shaking her head. "You're telling me you've seen her in Divination?"

Neville nodded. "Yeah, she sits with me and Ron. Or did, like I said she got pissed at Trelawney and quite."

"That's impossible Nev, I sit with – sat with her during Ancient Runes. Ancient Runes and Divination are at the same time and the next class is during third year Transfiguration, and it's for the sixth years not third years."

"That can be right," Neville said. "I know what I saw Mel."

"Ms. Potter, Mr. Longbottom please continue with your work," Professor Flitwick said. "This isn't social time."

"We'll talk about this later," Melinda hissed under her breath but loud enough for him to hear.

That night Melinda was kept woken up by screams and yells.

"He was there, I swear!" Ron exclaimed.

"How did he get in pray tell?" McGonagall asked. She was in her night closed her hair down for once and looking very annoyed but also worried.

"He's telling the truth Professor," Neville interrupted, and Ron nodded quickly. "I saw him too. It was Sirius Black and he had a knife. He was leaning over Ron's bed."

McGonagall sighed, and looked around her eyes falling on Melinda who was at the foot of the stairs leading up to the girls dorm.

"Everyone down here, I will do a search to make sure he is not still around. Does anyone have any idea how he got the passwords?" she asked and Neville bit his lip.

"I think that was my fault Professor," he admitted shamefully. "I wrote them down when Sir Cadogan began changing them so often."

McGonagall gave the boy a stern disapproving look before sighing. "Don't do it again Mr. Longbottom. I will however talk to Sir Cadogan about changing the passwords so often."

"What the hades happened here?" Melinda asked, as she approached after McGonagall had gone up to the boys dorm to search.

"Hades?" Ron asked, confused.

"Greek god of the underworld, I think," Neville said scrunching his face up. "My gran used to speak of when the Wizardry world acknowledged them but then it became apparent the muggles did as well and Purebloods declared it a muggle idea. It was stripped from many records or from our stories."

Ron blinked. "Oh."

Melinda let a mental sigh but kept her calm outside. "Yeah, I like mythology. Anyways, what was that about exactly? Sirius Black in the boys dorm with a knife?"

"Cute pun Mel," Hermione's voice said, coming up to them. "Clue?"

Melinda frowned, turning away and Hermione sighed.

"What do you want, rat murderer?" Ron snapped.

"I didn't kill your rat and neither did Crookshanks Ronald!" Hermione said and then stomped off.

"I wish you three wouldn't fight," Neville said.

"Whatever," Melinda said, shaking her head. "I'm going to go back to bed."

In all honesty she didn't for another twenty minutes which is how long it took McGonagall to check the common, and dorms for Sirius Black. Even then she didn't sleep to well.

The events that followed that seemed to make Ron some sort of celebrity for a while and he seemed to hold out on forgiving Hermione way longer then Melinda could. It was tempting, but holding a grudge wasn't her fatal flaw but she was beginning to think envy or holding a grudge was Ron's.

Her broom was returned to her just in time for the Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor game, which thankfully didn't end with her in the infirmary. Though she was just barely able to beat Cho Chang to the snitch. There was one last Hogsmeade trip in May which she was to join her friends on. Though she ended up spending most the time in the joke shop with the twins – for some reason they decided to drag her off.

Ron and Neville barely noticed and Hermione just smirked as if she knew something Mel didn't as Fred dragged her off.

"This is crazy," Melinda laughed as she made a face at the smell of instant stink powder.

"Come on Lin," George said.

Fred smirked. "Live a little."

"I'll have you both know I am the poster child for living," she said smugly, and then smirked. "No seriously, Girl-Who-Lived here." She pointed to her scar and the three of them burst into laughter.

"Do you think Snape would like this potion explosion crap?" Melinda asked holding up a bottle of dried things that looked like crap droppings. They were supposed to be some kind of replica of a potion ingredient. Once added the potion would instantly explode, hence its name – though she'd added the crap part.

Fred and George smirked. "I knew there was a dark side underneath all that grumpy exterior."

Melinda pouted. "I am not grumpy."

"Whatever you say Melinda," the twins said in unison.

**xXx**

What happened in the coming days amounted to enough to give anyone a stress attack or a very large migraine. In her case she reigned it in to a migraine. But boy was it a killer of a migraine. First Ron and Hermione had refused to make up – even with her, Neville, Luna and Ginny attempting to help them mend the damaged bridge between them.

Snape was a bastard, and I turns out he really didn't like his potions exploding in his face and was on a warpath to kill the culprit of the prank. She was rather proud of that, but the impending doom of Buckbeak had weighed heavily on theirs minds as well.

Plan A was to use Sesha to make it appear as if he was dead, but they really didn't want to resort to that and it could fail in so many ways.

As for her personal research...she'd made a break through. That wall she'd hit had been shattered thanks to Neville's Christmas present. Turns out what the potion needed was a mix of muggle and magical properties. It was untested but the theory and recipe was pretty much done.

The real test though would be if it would work, or even brew without fizzling out or blowing up. Then there was some of the ingredients, they wouldn't be easy to come by.

That though was the smallest of her issues. The week before the last Quidditch game of the year they'd run into Parkinson and her two followers; Aria Vane and Ursula Macnair. Hermione was already breaking under stress – somehow Hermione was getting to classes she should be having the time to get to and it was driving Melinda up the wall trying to figure out her secret.

Needless to say as the three Slytherin girls made fun of Hagrid and how Buckbeak would get what he deserved for being a stupid killing beast, Hermione had snapped. She'd made her way towards them, practically screaming insults and punched Parkinson so hard Melinda was sure Parkinson's pug nose was broke.

Then there was the mysterious appearance of Peter Pettigrew's name on the Marauder's Map. She'd gone out the night it appeared – this all happening after the breakdown Hermione suffered and the broken nose she'd given Parkinson that is – to try and find the source. What she found was a dead end, and Snape.

She'd never wanted to punch him in his abnormally large nose more then in that moment. Thankfully Lupin showed up and bailed her out. Unfortunately he wasn't too impressed with her lack of judgment concerning the map and wondering the castle at night when Sirius Black had already been in the castle once.

At this point though she seriously had her doubts that Black was after her or even guilty of what he was charged for.

She'd told Lupin of Pettigrew before leaving, a bit upset that she'd lost possession of the map. That thing had really come in handy, if only she'd figured out way to replicate it with her magic or otherwise. Unfortunately she hadn't. She'd been training her powers, but she wasn't all powerful. She had her limits.

The end of the year Quidditch match of course ended in Gryffindor victory, Oliver was so happy he'd picked her up and nearly made her puke with how long he'd spun her around in his happiness. Gryffindor had won the house cup, and that was a happy moment but it wouldn't last.

They went to comfort Hagrid the day of the execution and that was what began it all. A adventure of truth, betrayal and paradoxes which made no freakin' sense. It was what led her to being in the Shrieking Shack, Ron behind them with a broken leg and shaking – very much alive – Scabbers.

Hermione beside her, Neville on the other side of her and Sirius Black and Remus Lupin in front of them (along with one Professor Snape knocked out on the now collapsed bed in the shack).

"I didn't betray Lily and James but I might as well have killed them," Sirius admitted stricken. "It was my idea to switch secret keepers. I had no idea Peter could make it like he did in Voldemort's ranks. That he could fool us."

"You're bonkers!" Ron cried. "Pettigrew is dead! You killed him!"

"No my dear boy," Remus began. "He didn't. I thought he did too but then I saw the truth for myself. The Marauders Map, you yourself saw his name Melinda."

Melinda furrowed her brow. "But it couldn't have been... it was wrong."

"The Marauder's Map never lies!" Remus exclaimed, shaking his head. "Peter Pettigrew is alive, and in this very room."

"Where then?" Neville demanded. "If he's alive where is he?"

"There!" Sirius cries, pointing a finger towards Ron and Scabbers.

"Me!?" Ron yells. "You're crazy, I'm Ron."

Sirius sighed. "No, not your! Your rat!"

"Scabbers?" Melinda muttered, blinking as she thought of what she knew about the rat. He definitely seemed to have a longer lifespan then rats should, and Sesha didn't like him.

"Scabbers is a rat!" Ron defended and Sirius moved forward, grabbing Scabbers from Ron who looked as if he refused to let go.

"Ron, give him the damn rat," Melinda snapped, and Ron was so shocked he let his grip loosen and Scabbers was squealing in his rat like manner in Sirius hand, held by the scruff of it's neck.

"You're taking this well," Lupin said coming up beside her. Rather brave of him she thought. If she wanted she could have Tachýs to his throat in a nanosecond.

"Not really," she said, looking over at him. "So, a werewolf? I should have known, I was betting on shape-shifter or vampire. Maybe some sort of hybrid."

"How did you come to suspect? I take it wasn't through Snape's essay," Lupin inquired.

"Sesha," she said, nodding to the snake coiled around her arm and neck.

"Of course," he said. "I should have known."

"Hello Peter," Sirius sneered as he threw the rat onto a broken down piano and he and Remus began shooting spells at the rat.

Melinda, Hermione, Ron and Neville watched as the rat tried to escape through a hole in the door only to be hit and transform into a fat, short, balding man in desperate need of a shower. She didn't think that would even help him, he'd probably need to be burned to have any sort of cleanliness after twelve years as vermin. But then she thought he was vermin anyways.

She was glad she'd already knocked Snape and his big mouth out before this whole episode began.

"Peter, Peter, Peter," Sirius mocked as Remus and he pulled the man back into the room.

"Sirius, Remus!" Peter squeaked. "My old friends!"

Remus and Sirius pushed the man back as he tried to run and Melinda was disgusted when he turned to her, walking closer.

"Melinda, sweet Melinda," Peter said. "You looked just like your mother, like Lily. But you have your father's hair."

Sirius moved forward to pull the rat back but Melinda beat him to it. She pulled back a fist and punched him, knocking him to the ground. In a solid motion she had reared back her foot and kicked him so hold he flipped over in the air from his stomach onto his back. Everyone was sure they heard a crack.

"You rat bastard!" she snarled. "How dare you speak of my mother or father like that. You disgust me."

Through all this she was speaking low and furiously, and she gave him two more good kicks, and there was no doubt the mans ribs had been broken or cracked. He also had a very bloody nose and appeared to be crying.

"Mel," Remus said, pulling Melinda back even though the raging girl struggled.

"I won't let him get away with what he's done Melinda," Sirius said, trying to help calm his goddaughter down.

Melinda sighed and gritted her teeth.

"Melinda isn't the only one disgusted Peter," Sirius sneered down at him. "How could you, Lily and James dead because of you!"

"I didn't mean too," Peter whimpered. "The Dark Lord has powers you don't know of."

"They were your friends!" Remus yelled.

"He has weapons no one can imagine," Peter repeated. "What would you have done?"

"I would have died!" Sirius cried. "I would have died rather then betray my friends!"

"Melinda! Help me, what would Lily do?"

"Don't talk about Lily or James!" Sirius snarled at the rat, once again pulling him back from Melinda who was still frozen in her anger and thoughts. Her friends didn't seem much better.

"You should have known Peter," Remus began, his wand lifted. "If Voldemort didn't kill you we would."

"Together!" Sirius declared and Melinda's eyes snapped over and she moved forward, grabbing their wand arms.

"No!" she said. "No, death is too good for him. If he dies Sirius can't be freed. No, we'll take him to the castle."

"Sweet, merciful girl," Peter cried moving forward on hands and knees. That was his mistake, Melinda took the opportunity to kick him in the face, forcing him back onto his butt.

"Keep your filthy hands off me," she snapped. "I'm not doing it for you, I'd happily see you dead but we need you alive."

Melinda moved forward and knelled down letting her hand ghost over the rats arm and glow a soft gold. A curse which stopped any sort of abilities like animagus or strong wand magic from being used. It was a curse she'd found in her grimoire – her grams had said it all would come in handy some days. It would ware off in two days.

"Don't get any ideas, rat," she spat and stood, looking to Sesha.

_::Sesha, guard him. Do not let him escape. If you must... bite him, but do not kill.:: _

_::With much pleasure mistress,:: _Sesha said, the snake never did like people or things that annoyed or upset her mistress.

She could hear Sirius' intake of breath but for some reason he didn't seem all that surprised. Peter on the other hand whimpered like a caged animal, she supposed Voldemort must have used snakes to teach his followers a lesson or had a familiar which was a snake at one point in time.

Sesha slithered down and Melinda used her wand to cast a enlarging charm – there was one good thing about actually liking to read when she could find a Greek edition or translate the books herself – and Sesha grew a thick as a python if not longer and larger. She hissed in Peter's face and coiled around the mans body like a rope to bind him.

"Well, that's convenient," Sirius said, smiling slightly over at Melinda who backed away.

"I thought so," she said. "Come on, we need to go."

It didn't take them to long to get back to outside the Whomping Willow. Once there they left Remus, Hermione, Neville and Ron with Wormtail and she walked over to a hill which sort of overlook Hagrids hut, the one they'd gone up to avoid Fudge and them earlier, to talk with Sirius.

"You really do look like your mom and dad Melinda," Sirius said. "You know.. James made me your godfather should anything happen to them."

"I know," Melinda said.

"So, after I'm freed I'll be getting a house and if you want to...move in with me. Probably Remus as well, depends on if I can convince the old man," Sirius said.

"Live with you?" she asked, surprised.

"I know you don't know me well and if you'd rather stay with your relatives..."

"Are you mental!?" she demanded. "I'd rather compliment Snape then live with those muggles."

Sirius looked at her amused, then frowned.

"You should know, I know you're not James' daughter," Sirius said and she looked down.

"Yeah?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I also saw you and that monster lady and her dog thing," he said. "She called you something, daughter of Poseidon."

Melinda bit her lip. "You saw that, should have known that. Anyways you believe in gods?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Like God? Jesus, hell, and heaven kind of thing?"

Melinda chuckled. "I guess that's one take on it, but no. I mean gods, as in lowercase and more then one. The Greek gods and goddesses."

"Like Zeus, Athena and...Poseidon?" Sirius asked, though the last was said with more realization.

"Yeah, and don't go around throwing those name out. Names have power and I don't need any attention, I'm not technically supposed to exist. If my loving uncles find out I'll probably go to Hades the hard way."

"Right, your secret is safe with me... though I may need to let Remus know. We should have told him a long time ago but we thought he was the spy and now." Sirius sighed.

"Sure, but just him. I'm not ready for people to know I'm a demigod. I haven't even told my friends yet."

Sirius looked ready to speak but was cut off by a scream and they turned in time to see the moon come out and Remus begin to convulse.

"Oh no," Melinda said.

Sirius looked at Melinda. "You still have the sword or whatever it was you killed that monster with?"

"Tachýs, of course," she said, taking off her ring and letting it become her Trident.

"Cool," Sirius muttered. "Try not to kill Moony though Mel."

"I'll try." Melinda said and Sirius ran forward, knocking Remus away from Peter, Snape, and the others.

Melinda ran over, Tachýs in hand and drawing strange looks from her friends. It was then she realized she'd have to tell them the truth after this, and probably Snape since he was waking up.

"Stop struggling Peter, Sesha won't let up," Melinda snapped and Sesha hissed her agreement.

"Why can't I transform!?" Peter whimpered.

She smirked. "That's for me to know, and you to not find out," she said and Snape stood.

"What is going on your insolent – Peter Pettigrew?" Snape asked,, his eyes wide at the man being bound by Potter's snake which was obviously enchanted to be large. Then he noticed the large black dog fighting the werewolf and moved back, the student behind him.

"Where did you get that weapon Potter?" Snape asked.

"You can actually see it?" she asked and then sighed, of course. The Mist must not work the same on Wizards and Witches. They must all be resistant to it at level. Which meant it would take a lot of control over the mist to work it on them.

And of course people like Ginny wouldn't be effected with it even if tried since she was actually clear sighted as well as a witch.

"Great," she snapped. Then she heard the scream, a dog being wounded she guess and she gasped, letting Tachýs fall back to ring form and slipping it on before taking off.

_::Sesha, paralyze the rat, I don't trust him!::_ she hissed behind her as she ran and she could faintly hear the scream from Peter as Sesha did as asked.

"Potter, come back here!" Snape called but he was ignored.

She cam to a creak or pond area, where she found Sirius on his back. Dementors were closing in and she gasped. The screaming coming back to her again.

"Sirius, Sirius," she muttered as she fell to her knees beside the man.

The Dementors came closer and she knew what they wanted.

"You... you can't," she said, trying to fight the effects on her. She saw one lean closer to Sirius, and a fine mist try to escape, the beginning of his soul being removed she thought. No, she could let it happen.

"No, I won't let you. He's innocent," she cried and she let her ring form Tachýs and she swung, barely noticing it was in sword form.

The Dementor seemed to scream, and to her surprise the weapon was actually able to take the things head from its shoulder. The body dissolved and left only a cloak behind – well part of the things cloak. These things could be killed by celestial bronze.

Then more came, the screaming got worse and she felt one grab her hair and pull her head back. She dropped Tachýs and felt it return to her finger in ring form a moment later. She gazed up at the Demeter who was getting closer, it's hood lowered and prayed to her father for help.

She was too weak and effected by so many Dementors to control the water form the lake – which was frozen from the Dementor presence.

_'Be strong Melinda,' _she heard her father's voice in her mind and she clinched her fist, her wand was in her boot. If she could get it she could cast a Patronus, or try. The temptation to give in though was strong but she couldn't. She had to do this for Sirius, for her friends, her brother, her father, and her mom and step-dad.

She had just grabbed her wand when she saw the silver glow across the creek. She saw it become corporeal and she saw it bound across the lake and drive off the Dementors. She heard her father whispering comforting words in her head as she collapsed beside Sirius.

The last thing she saw, was the footsteps and a figure crouching down in front of her. Eyes just like her own.

"Remember to save yourself," the words were barely there but she heard them and then she fell into blackness.

**xXx**

Melinda officially hated time travel.

Turns out the Ministry was even more ignorant then she thought. They were under the assumption Pettigrew was the hero and had forced Sesha off him when he was found paralyzed. Dumbledore was currently working to get the man questioned under Veritaserum – a truth potion. But they were convinced Sirius was still guilty so they had him in a tower ready to be kissed.

This all led to them using Hermione time turner – the reason she was getting to all her classes – to go back in time and save Sirius while Dumbledore was having Peter questioned. If it all worked out Sirius would be free in a day or two.

So far they'd watched as Hermione punched Parkinson – which was much cooler the second time around. Realized that the reason they'd left Hagrids had been because of Hermione throwing black rock things into the house. Melinda was sure to let Hermione know the one that hit her in the back of the head had hurt.

After that they were able to free Buckbeak, and of course she was glad Sesha was recovering in the dorm room from the few spells the stupid wizards had thrown at her – or would be, is in the future. Melinda hated tenses, as much as she hated time travel.

And the whole paradox thing, stupid in her opinion. She was pretty sure if she walked up to her past self she wouldn't go crazy, but she was a demigod this wasn't so unusual. But then maybe this was different type of time travel or wasn't even time travel at all. Maybe this was simple magic rewinding a day? Who knew, she wasn't into getting a headache thinking of time travel paradoxes.

Then they'd had to watch themselves go into the shack, and then coming out a few hours later and of course Remus transforming. This all ended with them running from said werewolf, Buckbeak saving them and then running off to find Sirius and herself at that creak. She was sure she'd seen someone, at first she thought it was her mother but as they watched the scene unfold across the creek she knew.

"What are you doing," Hermione hissed and Melinda rolled her eyes, drew her wand and ran out to stand in the creek a little. The water seemed to encourage her and begin to heal her at the same time.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" she yelled and thought of the happiest thing she could. The light was immense and then a corporeal being, a stag came from the end. She gaped, Prongs.

The Dementors were driven back and she smiled.

"It wasn't my mom I saw," she said as Hermione came over to her. "It was me the whole time."

She then ran across the creek, and came to lean over the barely conscious past version of herself. She had to admit she looked like shit.

"What are you doing!" she heard Hermione hiss and she leaned down.

"Remember to save yourself," she repeated her past self – was it her past self now or still her future self? - words to her when she was in this situation. She saw herself fall into darkness and ran back over to Hermione. They'd saved Buckbeak and Sirius and her souls, now they had to go and re-save Sirius.

That wasn't so hard, saying goodbye to her godfather was.

"We have to go Mel," Hermione said as the clock rung overhead.

Melinda nodded and they took off running back to the hospital wing.

"Well?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's done, we did it," Melinda said and he blinked.

"Done what?" he asked. "Goodnight."

The two friends entered the hospital wing just as their past selves or present selves – whatever the tense would be – disappeared.

"How... you were just...how?" Ron asked and Neville nodded, his eyes wide as well.

The two girls laughed.

"What's he talking about Melinda?" Hermione asked.

"No idea."

School finals were the next day much to Melinda's annoyance, and of course she had trouble concentrating. He mind led but to Sirius and Pettigrew. Dumbledore had gotten Peter on trial and he was being questioned, but she had no idea when or if it would make a difference. Sirius was currently still considered a fugitive and she was stuck going back to the rotten muggles she called relatives.

Sesha had recovered nicely, the slight burn on her scales were a spell had grazed her was healed up now. And to top it all off she'd had to sit down with her three friends and explain who she was.

Telling them she was a demigod had been almost as hard as surviving Dementors. Ron was the most non-believing but after she'd shown them her weapons, and abilities over water, and what little she got from being a legacy of Hecate they were more believing.

Then there was Hermione, she'd gone ahead and told Hermione she was a legacy as well from what Sesha's nose could tell. Most likely a legacy of Athena or Minerva, Sesha couldn't tell Greek from Roman. This actually made Hermione very excited and helped her believe easier.

Then the day before end of term they were at breakfast when Hermione shoved a prophet in front of her face mid bite.

"Uh, Hermione," Melinda began. "What am I looking at?"

Hermione sighed. "Right, dyslexic." Hermione pulled her wand and tapped it, translating the English into Greek.

Melinda blinked and then her eyes widened.

**PETER PETTIGREW TRIAL CONCLUSIVE: SIRIUS BLACK INNOCENT!**

**Twelve years ago the Potter family was killed, all but their one year old daughter, Melinda Potter currently a third year Gryffindor at Hogwarts. It was believed that the person to cause their death, Sirius Black, had led You-Know-Who to Godric's Hollow where the family lived. **

**Sirius Black then killed friend, Peter Pettigrew and a dozen muggles. But new evidence brought together by Pettigrew's sudden reappearance in the land of the living and Madam Bones of the DMLE have shown something different. Twelve years ago Sirius Black was thrown into Azkaban without a trial, something which is illegal even to this day. **

**As such Sirius Black, the last heir to the noble and ancient house of Black is immediately pardoned, and would have been even if Pettigrew hadn't revealed under Veritaserum that he had been the Potter's secret keeper and had led You-Know-Who to Godric's Hollow that Halloween night. **

**Pettigrew has been convicted of murder, being a Death Eater, framing of an innocent man and treason against the magical ministry along with being an unregistered animagus. **

**Sirius Black came forward the same day to be tried under Veritaserum, escorted by Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore. It was proven he did not in-fact commit the crimes he was convicted of and was released, once again a free man. His accounts unfrozen and he was reimbursed for all the money he lost during his incarceration. **

**The Ministry must ask itself though, will this prove to be the blow that unseats our current Minister? **

**Written by – Dana Williamson. **

**See more on You-Know-Who on page 33c. **

**More on The Potters on page 11a. **

**More on Melinda Potter page 10a. **

**More on Sirius Black on page 4b.**

Melinda grinned.

"This is great," she said and Hermione took the paper back and sat down. Ron and Neville were across from them, stuffing their faces.

"Sirius' free then?" Ron asked around a mouth full of food.

"Please Ronald, for the love of the gods don't talk with your mouth full," Melinda groaned.

"Sorry," he replied, swallowing a second later.

Melinda laughed, shaking her head. This year had been an adventure, but compared to the last two it was quiet. She dreaded to think what next year would be like.


	13. The Years Before: Year Four

**AN: So here is the beginning to year four. This was probably one of the longer books in the series so it may take me a little longer to get the next chapter up since I don't want to have to have more parts then three or four to year four. Then there are the changes to take into consideration. Anyways I hope you all like this chapter. I'll update again as soon as I can, most likely no later then Sunday as long as nothing comes up.  
**

**R&R!  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 13: The Years Before: Year Four. **

Albus Dumbledore sighed as he sat across from a now free Sirius Black. It was the middle of July, and Sirius Black had come to him practically demanding the rights to raising his goddaughter. Albus wasn't a cruel man, he understood that Sirius wanted to raise his goddaughter and it was his right as godfather but he had to look at the bigger picture.

For the Greater Good Melinda needed to stay at Privet Drive. Safe under the protections of her mother sacrifice and the blood wards. So he refused, he hadn't expected his former student to blow the fuse he had.

"That is utter bullshit and you know it!" Sirius snapped, his eyes hardening to near black.

"My dear boy, the blood wards keep her safe," Albus said, keeping calm.

Sirius clinched his teeth, and fist together. He had never wanted to punch the old man so hard as to knock that twinkle out of his eyes more then now. He was seriously beginning to question his mind, and if the man had begun going senile.

"Blood wards, yeah I've heard about these so called blood wards but we both know they need love to function." Sirius narrowed his eyes. "We both know Petunia hated Lily for being a witch and Lily wasn't to fond of her sister later on either. And I know for a fact Melinda shares no bond of love with her relatives, bloody hell all you have to do is listen to her speak of them to know that!"

Albus frowned, his twinkle flickering.

He knew what Sirius said was truth, but the wards functioned, they had to think of Melinda's safety before her happiness.

_'Isn't that what you thought about Ariana, and look what happened to her.' _a little voice said in her head and Albus stiffened a bit.

"I'll bet you a thousand galleons that the wards would crumble under one good spell if death eaters or Voldemort himself found the place. If they aren't crumbling on their own." Sirius sighed, standing up.

"She may be safe from death eaters but she isn't safe from her relatives. She's my goddaughter, Lily and James intrusted me to take care of her. To make sure she had a happy life growing up and I failed to do that, but now I can make up for it."

Sirius threw a bunch of parchment onto the desk. "I've already got custody from the ministry as well as adopted her as my heir. I _am_ going to get Melinda and she _will _be living with me and Remus."

Albus took the papers and sighed, they were real. All rights of custody had been given to one Sirius Orion Black.

"If you already had this Sirius, why are you here?" he asked and Sirius eyes softened, the gray returning to it's natural dark gray/blue color.

"Out of respect, I figured I should let you known before I went to collect her on the twentieth," he answered.

"You're staying at your family home aren't you?" Albus asked, knowing he could do nothing.

Sirius flinched. "Unfortunately."

"The _Fidelius _Charm will be put up as well I assume," Albus said and Sirius nodded.

"Yes, we'll be using Melinda herself as the keeper," he said.

Albus looked up. "Is that wise my boy?"

"I didn't think so either but Melinda insisted she be used as the secret keeper. She doesn't think anyone would think we'd use a fourteen year old girl and the Girl-Who-Lived as the keeper."

Sometimes he was caught by surprise at how Slytherin his goddaughter truly was.

Albus sighed. "I see then. I hope you understand what you're doing Sirius."

Sirius nodded at his old headmaster and then grabbed the parchments back before turning to leave.

"For what it's worth Albus, I don't blame you completely for not getting me a trial sooner. I do blame you though for placing Melinda with Petunia, despite the will Lily and James left." Sirius turned to look at him with disapproving eyes.

"We both know the Dursley's were never even listed as a last resort. I just hope Melinda doesn't find out and if she does she doesn't get to angry. She has her mother's temper after all."

With that Sirius opened the door and left.

**xXx**

"Mellie, wakey, wakey eggs and bakey!"Sirius grinned as his goddaughter twisted in the her new bed.

It had been a week since he'd gone to the Dursley's to get her. He'd been furious at how little Melinda possessed, it had only taken two boxes not counting the two trunks she owned (to say he had been surprised to see Lily's old school trunk was an understatement).

He briefly wondered if he should find out what had happened to the things in Godric Hollow before the thief's and scavenger hunters. He had given Melinda his brothers old room, since it was the one she seemed to like the most, and besides the added colors of crimson, sea green/blue and gold it wasn't changed that much.

"Go away Siri," Melinda grumbled, rolling over in the emerald silk bedding and pulling the gold and silver pillow over her head. "Sleepin' now."

Sirius laughed. "Come on Mel, it's nearly noon."

Melinda swatted away Sirius' hand on instinct and Sirius flinched back, shaking his hand. Even half asleep the girl had accuracy and it hurt when she hit you. Demigod instincts he supposed.

"Lunch will be done soon though..." he nearly whined and Melinda froze, her eyes snapping open. She sat up then, throwing the pillow across the room, nearly hitting Sirius with her arm in her dramatics.

"Who is cooking?" she asked as if the fate of the world depended on the answer.

Sirius smirked. "The house is still standing Mel, it wasn't me," he chuckled.

Melinda sighed and then slid out of bed, making Sirius roll his eyes and turn around. He'd never lived with a teenager or females for that matter but he was pretty sure Melinda was the most shameless girl he'd ever met. She had no problem walking around in a sports bra and underwear – or a shirt and underwear – with the chance of him or Remus seeing.

_It's no more then you'd see if I wore a bathing suit Sirius._ She'd said the first time she'd woken up and came to breakfast in a tank top and panties, and of course he'd freaked.

Remus had found it amusing after the first day, something about karma coming back to bite Sirius in the ass for being such a womanizer when he was younger.

"I wish you'd wear more then that to bed Melinda, or at least warn me," Sirius sighed and Melinda laughed as she pulled on her jeans and a long sleeved green shit over her sports bra.

"I'm decent now Siri," Melinda said and Sirius turned around and sighed in relief.

"You're shameless, you know that?"

Melinda shrugged and set about making her bed. Gods knew Kreacher was still in that phase of hating them for defiling the house of Black. She was close to turning the little cretin into a toad, but Remus and Sirius wouldn't let her (more Remus then Sirius).

"Hey, you two!" Remus called. "Lunch is ready!"

"Race ya," Melinda said and then took off out the door. Sirius blinked and then laughed, taking off after her.

She was fast though, Sirius had never seen someone run faster. He supposed it might have something to do with her being a demigod and having to run from monsters – he'd learned that the hard way when a swarm of birds attacked her while they shopped in the muggle world one day.

Stymphalian birds she'd called them, and then she'd smiled at him and Remus, and took off running. The birds seemed more interested in her then they did in anyone else. They'd ran after her and found her using Tachýs in sword form and Abyss to destroy them. Turned out wand magic had little effect on monsters, but you hit them enough with the same spell they did get weaker and turned to easy pray for Melinda.

"It's about time," Remus said.

"So I like to sleep in sometimes," Melinda said, sitting down and spooning out some pasta onto her plate. "You guys do know I hate it when you cook."

Sirius grumbled and Remus laughed.

"Just because we set a few fires..." Sirius began.

"Try ten in the last week," Melinda said wagging her fork at them. "At least Remus can make some things without blowing up the house."

"We could always have Kreacher..." Remus began but was interrupted by Sirius.

"That old demon elf wouldn't make us food if we begged and if he did it would be poisoned," Sirius said. "Dear ol' mum kept a lot of that kind of crap in the labs."

Melinda nodded. "I know, but I still say if you were nicer to Kreacher he might help," she said and Sirius scrunched his nose up and lowered his head like a child scolded.

Remus watched this all amused. Sometimes he couldn't figure out who was the child, Sirius or Melinda.

Melinda did spend a lot of time in both the library and labs, and she never really told them what she was doing. Sirius knew there was a lot of dark magic in there but he didn't say anything at first, if Melinda wanted to venture into that kind of magic that was her choice, he couldn't be a hypocrite.

He was a Black and even if he was the Black Sheep, the disappointment he was still raised a Black Pureblood and knew far more about the Dark Arts them many – besides the Marauders – knew.

He'd even confronted her about it. He'd made it clear that if she ever went farther then reading about the Dark Arts she had to tell him so he could make sure she didn't loose herself to addiction. That was the most dangerous part of it after all.

Remus knew as well, but he was a werewolf and understood Sirius' views on it and supported Melinda in things she did as well.

Melinda hadn't done more then read about the subject though, and she'd sworn not to until she talked to Hecate about it.

"By the way," Remus began as he poured himself some more pumpkin juice. "Mrs. Weasley sent an owl this morning."

Melinda looked up startled. "She did?"

"Yep," Remus said smiling and Sirius began bouncing in his seat.

"Ooh, ooh! Can I tell her, can I?" Sirius asked and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Sure."

Sirius smirked.

"The Weasley's got some tickets to the world cup," Sirius said. "They wanted to know if we were going to be going."

Melinda's eyes widened. "You're serious?"

"Of course, it's what my birth certificate says anyways," Sirius said smugly and Melinda and Remus rolled their eyes.

"So... are we going?" she asked and Sirius pulled out three tickets.

Melinda squealed, making the two men flinched.

Melinda realizing what she'd done sat down instantly and flushed. "Sorry, my bad."

"The Weasley's will be over for your birthday and then they'll stay the night. We'll meet at a certain point with another family and portkey to the world cup from there," Remus informed and Melinda grinned, pushing her plate – over half empty – back.

"I have to go tell Sesha the good news," Melinda said and took off towards the stairs and her room.

Sirius sniffed.

"Do you think she loves that snake more then us?" he asked and Remus stared at his friend with a look that clearly asked if he really just asked that.

Remus sighed.

"Debatable," he admitted, shrugging. "Probably." He stuck his fork full of pasta in his mouth and nearly chocked at the hang dog look Sirius pulled a second later.

Why had he agreed to live with these two loonies again?

**xXx**

"_No, only Potter will do," the serpentine voice echoed through the house. _

_Melinda had found herself in a dream, or a vision she couldn't be sure. She could see a large snake slithering around and a chair facing a fire. The voice that came from something smallish that sat in the chair sent shivers of fear down her back. _

_She saw two figures around the chair. The first she could no see clearly, though he didn't look that old, probably a little younger then Sirius and Remus. The other had it's back turned to her but she knew who it was, the missing finger gave it away. _

"_My Lord, maybe you should reconsider. it is so hard to lay hands on Melinda Potter," Wormtail stuttered. "She is so very well protected." _

_The second servant present chuckled bitterly. "You're a coward Pettigrew. No one is that well protected." _

"_Now, now," the hissing voice said. "Wormtail may be right, Melinda is very resourceful, she escaped my diary didn't she? But as you've said no one is untouchable." _

_Melinda gasped as she felt the serpent in the dream slide by her and up the chair. It hissed to the thing in the chair, Melinda had moved around so she could see and instantly regretted it. Deformed baby like figure, white as bone, scaly looking. Two glowing red eyes. Voldemort. _

_She felt a pain in her scar, familiar pain and then she saw there was a man standing in the doorway where she once was. A muggle by the looks of it. _

Melinda woke to burning pain in her scar, drenched in sweat and breathing hard. The green light still visible in her minds eye. She could barely remember some of it, but the last minute or so was clear. Wormtail had gotten out of Azkaban somehow and was now back with Voldemort.

She bit her lip, recalling his casual mention of the diary. Did that mean he had gained some of the memories from the diary or did he just know through the grape vine?

"Melinda!"

Melinda sighed as she heard Sirius' wake up call. He did that sometimes, yell up from the foot of the stairs to wake her up, she and Remus hated it when he did that. Throwing the covers back Melinda grabbed her things and quickly went to her adjourning bathroom to shower and change.

Today she would be going to the Quidditch World Cup. For some reason as she brushed her drying hair she couldn't help but feel some dread. What was it about that which registered something in her mind? Almost like a sense of deja vu.

She wouldn't realize for many months that this day would mark the beginning of a new war, a new era of Voldemort's terror. It would also lead to another destiny she had yet to learn about.


	14. The Years Before: Year Four II

**AN: So the next part of our story here. I hope you all like it, you get a first glance of how different this year will be at the end, and a romance for Melinda. It won't be long term but now I've got it all planed. **

**The poll for her main pairing is final and Apollo had won by a like ten votes, estimated. Hermes and Hades nearly tied close behind Apollo, to my surprise.  
**

**For those who voted for Hades you'll get some Melinda/Hades as well since as I said on the vote itself I have plans for an affair between them before she even meets Apollo. For plot reasons I can not reveal. There also may be some one sided Luke/Melinda later in the story but I'm not to sure yet. My muse is the boss so I'm sure she'll let me know once we get to camp what she plans.  
**

**Now I have another poll on my profile I could really use votes for. It's for History Rewritten, one of my newer stories and it's a pairing for Percy. So even if you don't read that story please go vote.  
**

**Anyways R&R!  
**

**_P.S. The next chapter is probably going to be really long, since I want to wrap year four up in one more chapter and move on to year five, because I really want to get to camp. So it may be a week before I update this story again._  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 14: The Years Before: Year Four II.**

"This way, this way!" Arthur Weasley called as the Weasley brood (minus Charlie and Bill who Melinda had met on her birthday) trudged up a hill along with Sirius, and Remus.

"How was your..." George began as they feel back to either side of her.

Fred was on her right and she noticed he stood closer to her then George did. "..summer Lin?"

Melinda chuckled, her cheek burning slightly as she stared into the crystal blue eyes Fred had. She had learned to tell the two boys apart early on. For one thing Fred had lighter blue eyes then George though it would take someone very perceptive to notice.

And then there was the fact Fred was a hair shorter then George, though they'd probably be the exact same height by the time they were eighteen and no longer growing.

Sirius was snickering from where he walked with Remus, bringing up the rear. "She is so blind," he muttered and Remus sighed.

"So you noticed it too," Remus said, and then he smirked. "You know I bet ten galleons they're dating by the end of the year."

Sirius blinks, his amused grin falling. "Dating?"

Remus smirked widely, wondering when Sirius would catch onto the fact Melinda was at that age where boys interested her (or girls, but from the way she looked at Fred he was pretty sure his adopted goddaughter was into boys).

Oh, karma truly was a bitch. He thought of all those father's daughters Sirius had dated in his youth and all those fathers who had probably wished to neuter him. Sirius Black would forever be the cursed name on father's tongues during the eighties.

Ironically, Fred reminded him of Sirius just not as womanizing. From what he saw the twins were a stark reminder of James and Sirius without the Casanova tone.

Ginny and Hermione had also noticed, even if they had to glance behind them to see where the twins and Melinda had gotten to. Just the moment before she'd been walking slightly behind them but now she was further back, talking animatedly with the twins.

Though it didn't escape them how close she was to Fred and how her attention focused mostly on the younger twin.

"He's got it bad," a voice interrupted the two girls thoughts as they jumped slightly, turning and saw George had arrive beside them.

"Don't sneak up on us like that George!" Ginny snapped, shaking her head.

George grinned. "Sorry Gin."

"Fred likes Melinda?" Hermione asked, slightly surprised.

George smirked. "Oh yeah, has since end of our third year, not that he'd admit it. Didn't admit it to me until summer before your third year but I already knew by then."

"Looks like Melinda likes him too," Ron said turning around to face them, walking backwards for a moment before turning back around.

"You've actually been listening?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"I have ears you know," Ron snapped.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Alright now, everyone grab onto the boot."

The group all gathered around the boot and Melinda had to blink at the absurdity of it. She'd read about Portkeys but she'd never traveled by one.

"On three now," Arthur said and Melinda grabbed on at the last minute, having been caught in her thoughts to notice.

The ground left her and she nearly let go in panic. She liked flying, but that was on a broom, right now her thoughts were more along the lines of, I'm going to die! Zeus is going to blast me out of the sky!

Thankfully they didn't happen.

"Let go!" Looking at her friends Melinda realized Arthur wasn't joking and let go, yelling as she hit the ground moments later with a grunt.

_::Alright mistress?::_ Sesha asked, raising her head from around her shoulder and Melinda sighed.

"Fine Sesha," she whispered and she blinked when she saw Cedric grinning down at her.

Cedric was the Hufflepuff's seeker, and around the Twins' age. He had honey colored hair and gray eyes. Sesha thought he smelled of the sun.

"Having troubles Melinda?" he asked, holding out his hand for her.

She smiled and reached up taking it, never noticing the glare Fred sent Cedric as he lifted her to her feet effortlessly. She wasn't heavy by any means. Being a demigod meant a lot of training, and running. And with Quidditch, she was in very good shape if she did say so herself. Besides her hair growing a little more, still falling to her butt when braided and little past when let loose, and having developed more in the chest department, she hadn't changed much.

"Thanks," she said and everyone began walking through the stands and tents already set up.

She bought some snacks for her friends and a team t-shirt for herself, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. She wished Neville and Luna could be here, and even though she knew Draco would be here she knew they'd not get to hang out or talk niceties to each other.

The game was the best thing Melinda had ever seen, even if the fact she was so far off the ground had startled her. Sirius and Remus reassured her she'd be fine, and Hermione told her that the chances of Zeus actually taking notice of her and realizing who she was at that exact moment were very unlikely seeing as he hadn't in the last three years.

Hearing something like that from a descendant of Athena did help, if only a little.

The highlight of the night had to be watching how the Seekers played. Then there was Ron's obsession or man crush on Viktor Krum.

In the end she should have known it wouldn't last.

"Melinda!"

She groaned as she stood, looking to find Fred, Hermione and Ron running towards her. They must have been looking for her, she realized. Sesha was in a right rage, snapping something about wizards throwing spells at her and taking her mistresses wand.

Melinda reached for it on instinct but sure enough it was gone.

"What happened?" Melinda asked.

"An attack," Hermione gasped, and Melinda took Sesha from the distraught girl.

"You alright Lin?" Fred asked, placing an arm around her loosely.

She nodded, not minding the closeness.

"Who attacked though?" she asked, who could it be?

She realized a moment before Hermione told her. "Death Eaters, You-Know-Who's followers."

"Voldemort," Melinda muttered, looking up at the sky which had a green and black skull and snake placed in it.

Then the spells flew towards them and they were forced to duck, Melinda barely noticing the Fred positioned himself over her in a way that the spells would hit him instead of her if they got through.

"No! Those are my sons!"

"And my goddaughter and her friend you good for nothing son of – " Sirius' voice was cut off by Remus.

"Language Padfoot," he said and Melinda turned, standing with the others to face three unknown wizards, and Arthur, Sirius and Remus.

"They've been caught at the scene of the crime," the oldest said, his wand pointed at them.

"They're kids Barty," Arthur snapped and Sirius pushed the mans wand down, his eyes filled with dark fury as he stared at the man.

Barty flinched at the sight of Sirius and Melinda wondered if there was a story behind that.

"I saw someone," Melinda finally said, drawing attention. "When I woke up, he cast that mark into the sky."

"Did he girl," Barty said. "Who might you be?"

Melinda glared before answering. "Melinda."

"That is Melinda Potter, Barty," Arthur said and Barty's eyes snapped to her forehead. She had her hair pulled back into a tight french braid so her scar was only covered by a few strands of hair.

"Where did you see this person Ms. Potter?" Barty asked and Melinda pointed over towards an bushy area.

"Go," Barty ordered the other two, Aurors, Melinda supposed.

"We found something!" one called.

Melinda was only aware of a few things after that, one being her wand being found with a stunned house elf. And that the elf belonged to Barty. After that Sirius and Remus practically rushed her home, not even bothering to explain as they sent her off to bed.

As she sat on the end of her bed she sighed.

"Great," she muttered. "Voldemort is coming back, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid so darling."

Melinda's eyes widened as she stood and faced a woman dressed in a dark dress, two hounds with her.

"Grams," Melinda said, smiling. "Why are you here?"

"What, I can't visit my favorite great-granddaughter?" Hecate asked.

Melinda smiled. "I'm currently your only great-granddaughter."

Hecate shrugged.

"Touché," she replied.

"You said he was coming back," Melinda said, and Hecate sighed.

"You remember what Tom told you himself, about his objects like the diary. They're called Horcruxes, I thought and he thought you should know so you can find them easier."

"Tom?" Melinda asked. It had been a long time since she allowed herself to think of the diary memory. "What..where is he?"

Hecate smiled. "Hades gave him fifty years in the Fields of Asphodel, five years in the fields of Punishment and then he will be allowed into Elysium. Or he's free to try for rebirth, it's up to him after that."

Melinda sighed, she knew he wouldn't be allowed Elysium for a while if at all, but she was happy to know he would eventually get the chance. Hades must either like Hecate or had been in a generous mood.

"Grams, there is something I've been meaning to ask you," Melinda began, biting her lip. "It's about Dark Magic."

Hecate blinked and then sighed.

"You're mother asked me the same thing you know. While she never practiced it even after our talk she did study it. The Potter family has a few books on the subject, they weren't always a completely light family after all. And then your step-father's mother was a Black before she married so of course she brought some questionable books with her."

Hecate dusted imaginary dust from her dress. "Dark Magic is just a more violent, it wasn't always called Dark Magic. Actually back when I created this world it was simply magic. What they label dark these days are just more powerful, and mostly used for battles, for kill or be killed wars."

"So what you're saying is that I shouldn't be afraid to learn what I can," Melinda said and Hecate smiled.

"Melinda, you are a powerful girl. You are a witch, powerful at that, and a demigod descended from me and Poseidon, one of The Big Three. Magic will always just be magic no matter what this world labels it. You do need to be careful though, what they call dark magic is mostly reliable on emotion and intent. If you use it purely for the satisfaction of hurting someone then it can corrupt you. It's part of what happened to Tom."

"Everything is going to change now isn't it?" she asked and Hecate sat down beside her, placing a comforting arm around the young girl.

"Yes," Hecate said. "Your fourteen and yet you have the weight of the world on your shoulders – metaphorically speaking of course. I just pray that The Great Prophecy does not mean you. There are things you still don't know, that even I am not privy to."

"Right," Melinda said. She'd forgotten just how close she was to turning sixteen.

"I must go," Hecate said and then smiled kindly at her great-granddaughter as she stood. "Take care Lin, and be careful."

Melinda saw Hecate begin to glow and closed her eyes as the goddess left.

Sighing Melinda flopped backwards onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. In the pit of her stomach she felt as if there was a snake coiling around, warning her that things were not going to be quiet this year.

**xXx**

"You packed Mel?" Remus asked as he leaned against the door frame, a cup of steaming coffee in his hands.

Melinda stood inside, stuffing things into a bag, her trunks stacked together and on top of each other. Sesha was of course coiled around the girl, her head on Melinda's left shoulder.

"Almost," Melinda muttered, throwing her journal – the newest one which Hermione had gave her for her birthday.

It seemed to have become a tradition for Hermione to give her journals since she tended to fill them up pretty quickly.

"Is she still packing?" Sirius whined as he came to stand at the doorway.

"Nope, I'm done," Melinda said.

She then waved her hand over the top trunk and then flicked her wrist towards the underside of her bed. The trunk which mostly had things she wouldn't need for school flew off her school trunk and slid under the bed. She smiled smugly as she saw Sirius jaw drop and Remus' eyes seemingly twinkle and him smirk in amusement.

She'd been practicing for a while now and using her magic had become easier but she'd never be able to do the bigger things children of Hecate could. Small curses, small spells, and then her biggest gifts from being a legacy of Hecate – wand magic, snake-charming, and telekinesis.

"You've gotten better at controlling that. You didn't blow the door off its hinges this time, or knock the wall down," Remus said, a hint of pride in his voice. Sirius was still to shocked to say anything.

"Thanks, it did take me a while to realize the shockwave version which I was born with took more anger then the regular Telekinesis my mother had." Melinda then scrunched up her nose. "Sorry again about that door and wall."

Sirius laughed. "I'm not, it completely destroyed my mother lovely portrait. And now I can do what I wanted with that wall all along."

Melinda looked at her godfather confused. "What?"

"You'll find out during the Christmas holidays. Now, stop showing off and lets go. The Weasley's were probably expecting you an hour ago," Sirius said, rather seriously for him.

Melinda sent Remus a look but he simply raised his free hand in surrender and turned to follow Sirius away. Melinda sighed and grabbed her trunk – which had a feather light charm on it, c_ourtesy _of that law that said the Ministry couldn't tell who did magic in a Pureblooded household.

Sirius had been all to happy to tell her that on her birthday. Remus had told her not to abuse the privilege or he'd confiscate her wand. She respected that, and didn't use her wand often.

"Thanks Molly." She heard Remus say into the fireplace. "I can hear Melinda coming through now so we'll send her on over."

"Oh that great, give me a second to get everyone away from the fireplace," Molly said and Melinda entered in time to see Molly's head vanish from the fireplace.

"I hate floo travel," Melinda muttered and Sirius smirked.

"Your mother hated it too," he said and held out the powder for her. She took some and stepped into the fireplace.

"I'll see you during Christmas and I'll write as well," she said, smiling and then she threw the powder down, green flames shooting around her. "The Burrow!"

"Oh, Melinda!" Molly exclaimed as she exited the fire place and landed on all fours.

Her trunk came shooting out ahead of her and Hedwig's cage as well. Sesha was cursing up a storm on her arm, coiled so tightly at first she feared her arm would loose circulation.

Molly helped Melinda up and dusted her off some.

"It's lovely to see you again Mel," Molly said, smiling. "The kids are very excited for your stay."

Melinda grinned. She had been looking forward to it as well. On her birthday they'd made plans for her, Neville and Hermione to have a sleepover of sorts at the Burrow until September first.

She had been afraid the attack on the world cup had ruined the plans but they hadn't to her relief.

"Lin-Lin!" two voices cried in unison.

Melinda's eyes widened as a pair of arm wrapped around her waist and spun her around in a full circle before setting her back on the ground. She turned around and saw the smirking, slightly crossed eyed from the spinning, Fred Weasley behind her.

She hit him in the chest. "Don't do that!"

George laughed from her other side and she turned quickly to glare in warning. He held his hands up in surrender and she smiled. Molly rolled her eyes at the twins behavior but also smiled. She was happy Melinda got along with the twins as well as Ron. She also wasn't blind to Fred's crush on Melinda.

She was happy about that, she'd love to one day have Melinda in the family as a daughter-in-law but she also knew romances were sometimes fleeting. She just hoped for Fred's sake Melinda liked him as well, even if it didn't work out in the future.

"Mel!" Hermione cried and Melinda laughed as she was hugged by not only Hermione, but Ginny as well.

"Come on Mel, we'll get you settled in Ginny's room. Neville is already in Ron's getting settled," Hermione said as they pulled back.

"Hedwig arrived as well, she's in Ron's room," Ginny said and grabbed Hedwig's cage.

Melinda nodded and reached for her trunk.

Fred beat her to it. "No, let me."

Melinda smiled. "Thanks Fred," she said.

George snickered at his brother as the group left to take Melinda's stuff up. Molly frowned at George and slapped him around the head, though not near as hard as she could when he was in real trouble.

"Don't laugh at your brother," she said and then turned to set about lunch.

An hour later Melinda, Ron, Neville and Hermione were all gathered in Ron's room. Ginny was helping her mom finish lunch, much to the redheads dismay and that was okay with Melinda. She didn't think she should tell Ginny this right now, it was a sensitive subject and Ginny was only thirteen.

Sure she was only fourteen and it may be hypocritical but she wanted to keep between the four of them before involving her other friends.

"So, what's this about?" Hermione asked as they sat in a circle beside Ron's bed.

Melinda had her back against it in fact, across from Hermione. Neville was on Melinda's right, and Ron on her left.

"I haven't told you yet, because I was unsure how," Melinda said. "On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting."

There eyes widened and just as Melinda had suspected Hermione asked whether she'd told Dumbledore, Sirius or Remus. Then moved on to a thousand words per minute which she didn't have the concentration nor the ability to understand.

Ron was just shocked, and wondered if his dad would know anything. Neville simply questioned what it her dream was about and if she thought it had anything to do with Voldemort being close to where she lived with Sirius.

"I'm sure he wasn't anywhere near Grimmauld," said Melinda. "He couldn't have been, it's under the Fidelius charm. But I was dreaming about him… him and Wormtail. I can't remember all of it, but they were plotting to kill… someone."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Someone or you?"

Ron and Neville shared looks of concern and in Ron's case slight annoyance.

"You're not a bad liar Mel, but we've known you for four years," Neville said. "We know when your lying and don't really want to."

Melinda frowned. "Fine," she muttered. "In the dream he was referring to me."

"How are you holding up then?" Hermione asked slowly, concerned and Melinda looked at her confused.

"What?"

"About Voldemort...Tom," Neville muttered.

Melinda couldn't help the gasp that escaped her. "Why would you even ask or think that?"

Ron fiddled with his jeans. "You seemed really hurt by Tom and well... Voldemort is Tom isn't he?"

Melinda's eyes narrowed into a glare, her eyes darkening to a dark green. "No, he isn't!"

"Mel, we..." Hermione began but Melinda cut them off.

"Tom was just a teenager who made the wrong choices in life, Voldemort is not Tom. Tom is in the Underworld, Voldemort isn't," Melinda snapped.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said. "We shouldn't have even asked."

Melinda sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so cranky all the time."

Her friends laughed.

"You, not cranky?" Ron asked. "It's the end of the world."

Melinda rolled her eyes.

**xXx**

The week that followed was something Melinda enjoyed. She spent most of it playing Quidditch, or even attempting to get better at wizards chess. She wasn't to sure she ever would, strategy wasn't her best area, she was more of the spontaneous type. She just did and hoped to the gods she made it work.

Of course the life of a hero was never easy or long, she wasn't even sure she'd make it to sixteen at this rate. If she made it out of her teen years she'd throw a party involving so much alcohol she'd make Dionysus, god of wine, cry in joy or grief (or both).

Breakfast on the morning they'd return to Hogwarts was sort of gloomy. Not so much that they were returning to Hogwarts, more like it was time to start studying again. She sat between Hermione and Fred that morning.

Actually she'd been sitting with Fred at meal times a lot in the last week. She was real good friends with the twins, always had been really, and Fred had always stuck out more to her then she'd like to admit.

He was funny, and though he greatly annoyed her with his pranks at times she also found them amusing. Then there were his looks, she wasn't vain or shallow but she couldn't deny that he was very handsome.

She would admit if only to herself that she had a crush on Fred Weasley. She doubted he felt the same though, she was his little brother's best friend. And she wasn't really that pretty.

Melinda did noticed the conversation between Molly and Arthur, but she didn't understand a lot of what was said.

"Molly, are you able to take the kids to King's Cross?" Arthur asked.

"Of course I will," the motherly redhead said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, the poor man. We'll be fine."

Melinda wasn't to sure what or who Mad-Eye was as Mr. Weasley vanished, but those thoughts were interrupted when the eldest Weasley sons, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now, still alive I hope?"

"Of course he's still alive Bill. He says someone tried to break into his home last night," said Mrs. Weasley. "Of course he says that at least once a month, sometimes more. Poor guy, he's never been the same since the war."

This was more then Melinda had ever heard Molly speak of things she deemed _'adult business'_ around the table or around them for that matter.

"Mad-Eye Moody?" George said thoughtfully as he spread marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter -"

Molly interrupted her son with a stern look, a wooden spoon in hand and pointed at him.

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody. Nearly everyone does, he did a great service to the community when he was a Auror, a great service indeed," she said, shaking the spoon at him.

Some withheld snickers at that, though Fred didn't seem to have that restraint.

Molly didn't go on to say that if it had not been for Mad-Eye she'd not be alive today, and neither would the twins who'd she'd been pregnant with in 1986 when the old Auror had saved her from Death Eaters.

"Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" Fred muttered quietly, but Melinda being beside him heard it as clear as day. Mrs. Weasley had already left the room. "Birds of a feather… that's all I'm saying."

"Moody was a great wizard in his youth," said Bill. "still is truthfully."

"An old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" Charlie questioned.

"Dumbledore's not exactly all there though, is he?" said Fred. "I know he's a genius and powerful wizard…"

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Melinda questioned, tired of being out of the loop.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry as an Auror – dark wizard catcher," said Charlie. "I met him when I was a kid once, before he retired. Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him, caused him to gain a lot of enemies. I've heard he's become real paranoid in his old age but with the enemies he's got can't really blame the guy. He's got reason to be paranoid."

Him and me both, Melinda thought bitterly.

Two hours latter the family – minus Bill, Charlie and Percy – made it to the platform, with only minutes to spare. They might have gotten there quicker but there was no ministry cars left and the taxi drivers, well they weren't to happy with the large trunks and owls.

She wished she had control of the mist, but she was still learning that skill, thankfully Sesha was carefully concealed by her sweater and cardigan.

"Home sweet Home," Melinda said, smiling slightly as she slid into a compartment. Ron, Hermione and Neville slid in behind her and Hermione sat beside her while the boys sat across from them.

"So, how do you think this school year will go?" Neville asked and Hermione pursed her lips in thought while Melinda frowned.

Ron snorted. "Probably terrible. They'll be tasks, risk of death at every turn and no Quidditch to keep our mood leveled. Probably a dragon or two as well with our luck."

Melinda, Neville and Hermione stared at him slack jawed.

"Ron!" they cried in unison, knowing that their friend who'd predicted – without even realizing it until later – the troll from their first year and a few other small things.

Hermione was convinced there had to be seer blood somewhere in the Weasley or Prewett families.

"What?" Ron asked, his hand thrown up in confusion.

"You just jinxed it mate," Neville said.

"I swear, if any of that happens I'm gonna curse you to speak backward for a month," Melinda said, shaking her head.

"You can do that?" Hermione asked, amazed.

Melinda shrugged. "No idea, but I might be able to figure it out one way or another."

"That I would like to see," a smooth drawling voice said from the compartment door.

"Oh, it's you," Ron sneered at the Draco.

He'd grown up since his first year, though he still didn't like any Weasley.

"What of it Weasel?" Draco sneered back.

Melinda sighed.

"Both of you shut up," she snapped. "What's up Dray, you're usually more careful of being seen around me and not being your expected cruel self."

Draco smirked. "Yeah, well. I wanted to make sure you were okay after the world cup and to ask if you were aware of what's going on this year."

Everyone exchanged confused looks.

"What do you mean?" Melinda asked.

Draco's smirked grew wider. "That I think I should leave until the feast. Let's just say you might get to curse Weasel after all."

With that the blond turned and left, pulling his two stone guards with him (Crabbe and Goyle that is).

"That was weird," Neville said.

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Not for him it's not."

**xXx**

The welcoming feast started with the sorting as always, and there seemed to be so many more then when she first started joining this year. She barely paid attention though she did notice one of the new Gryffindors, Natalie McDonald as she ran happily to a free space with a few other first years she seemed to know.

The feast began but only seconds into it Dumbledore stood up.

His words left many shocked.

"That's rubbish!" she heard Fred and George yell over the yells and screams of the Great Hall.

No Quidditch, a Triwizard tournament and once again Ron had gone and predicted something without meaning to. As if on cue Melinda, Neville and Hermione glared at their redheaded friend who was piling his plate with food.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore roared and he continued by explaining the Tournament and how it worked.

No one under seventeen... that would work in her favor. Or so she thought. Four champions from the schools and in October the three competing schools (Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Arcadia) would arrive.

She thought it sounded pretty fun to watch and be able to relax – you know without to much fear of an adventure this year – but the down side was no Quidditch.

She'd have to make the most of it though.

Then he introduced their new Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor, Mad-Eye Moody. Whatever she was expecting she hadn't expected what she saw. He was a older man, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak.

When he lowered his hood he shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair. He was scarred, more so then anyone she'd ever seen and one of his eyes was a sharp blue and obviously fake since it moved in the socket strangely. The other was beady and brown.

"Now, let the feast commence!" Dumbledore finally said, and she turned back to her plate.

It wasn't very common he announced things before dinner was finished but she didn't think to hard on it. Dumbledore tended to be unpredictable at the most unsuspecting of times.

"I don't understand, why is it called the Triwizard if it's four schools instead of three?" Neville asked a moment later.

The Triwizard was the talk of the school it seemed. Everyone was whispering about it.

"I don't know much about it, I've actually only heard slight mention of it in Hogwarts a History," Hermione said and then her face turned grim. "People have died in this tournament."

"That doesn't sound fun for them," Ron said, stuffing whatever it was on his fork into his mouth.

Hermione gave him a disgusted looked, mirrored by Melinda.

"It isn't," Hermione said coolly. "Anyways, there has never been four schools to compete from what I do know. But as far as I can see there shouldn't be no rules against it. I'd have to look for it in the Library to be sure."

"Yeah," Neville said. "Not to mention I don't think Quarwizard Tournament sounds as catchy."

"Quarwizard?" Melinda inquired.

Neville smiled. "Quartet, a group of four."

"Like us," Hermione realized. "We're a Quartet, even if Melinda does have other friends."

Melinda smiled. "Which I hope are your friends to... in some form or another."

"Luna and Ginny are okay," Neville said and Ron nodded.

"The Twins as well," Ron said around a mouth full of food.

"I quite like Daphne and Astoria," Hermione said and Melinda smiled.

She knew her friends were not fond of Draco she never expected them to be and she knew her Slytherin friends unnerved Ron and Neville.

She could accept that.

Looking over at the head table she had to wonder what Defense would be like this year. She could only hope it would be as productive as Remus' last year.

As she turned to go back to her food her eyes caught Snape's. He was glaring slightly as usual. The man had been neither bitchy nor civil since she was forced to explain her parentage to him. All he said was it explained her lack of James Potter's features.

It didn't make him nicer to her though, she just hoped he was smart enough to know not to offend a god. Poseidon may not be the most attentive father but he did check in on her and she'd hate to see what he'd talk Hades into if he developed a hatred for Snape because of the mortals disrespect.

Well, sort of. She didn't like Snape but she didn't particularly want him in the Fields of Punishment either.


	15. The Years Before: Year Four III

**AN: So, turns out year four is gonna be four parts instead of three. Here is part three of year four though, sorry it took so long but I knew once I hit seventeen pages that if I didn't stop and make the last of year four part four, then it would take me longer then Friday to finish. **

**Hopefully I can get the next part up by Saturday. Though I've been hounded by my muse and plot bunnies lately so don't be to surprised if I end up updating my other stories in between the now and the next chapter of Forgotten Daughter.  
**

**Also I have changed the fourth school from Salem to Arcadia. So don't be too confused when that is talked about in the chapter.  
**

**Anyways I want to thank everyone for reviewing and voting and all that good stuff. Please, let me know what you think of this chapter.  
**

**R&R!  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 15: The Years Before: Year Four III.**

The freak storm blew over pretty quickly, but Melinda still didn't sleep to well the first night back. When Hermione woke her the next morning she was so out of it she almost put her skirt on inside out and her robes on backwards. Finally Hermione had enough and splashed water on her face.

Usually this wouldn't get her wet, but she was half sleep and wasn't expecting it. The shock caused the water to get through and drench her.

It had woken her up though and thankfully she could dry herself in seconds using her powers.

"Come on little mermaid, we'll be late for breakfast," Hermione and Melinda's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not a mermaid and breakfast?" she added thoughtfully. "You're finally to hungry to care the house elves make the food aren't you?"

Hermione's lips formed a tight line and her eyes blazed. "It's slave labor Mel, it's wrong!"

Melinda sighed. "Hermione do you even understand that maybe the elves like working?"

"They don't even get paid!" she cried, ignoring her words completely.

It was a lost cause for now, she decided.

"It's not a terrible day," she heard Neville say as she and Hermione walked over and sat down across from the boys. It hadn't taken them very long to get from the common room to the great hall seeing as they knew the castle pretty well.

"I guess not," Ron agreed, looking over his own schedule as "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures… damn it, we're still with the Slytherins…"

"What did you expect?" Melinda asked, grabbing some toast and slathering it with blueberry jam – the only flavor she would actually eat.

She'd never been fond of strawberries, or raspberries. Though she liked grapes, blackberries and blueberries just fine.

"Finally eating I see," Ron said after a minute, noticing Hermione had piled quite a bit more food then she usually ate onto her plate.

Hermione flushed red, in anger or embarrassment was unsure.

"Don't get her started Ron," Neville said, looking almost fearful.

Melinda was glad she didn't eat a lot during breakfast because Herbology was a nightmare in itself. Obviously others thought the same as there was a lot of whining from other girls, more girly then her. Bubotubers, apparently they needed squeezing.

By the end of class three girls had puked and Lavender had been the unfortunate victim of bad technique which ended with her covered in the pus the plants produced. She was happy she had Neville as a partner or she feared she may have failed the lesson.

Give her monster guts any day.

Hagrid was waiting for them to arrive for class, standing outside his hut. He had one hand on the collar of his enormous black boarhound, Fang – who seemed to like her rather well but dogs tended to because of Hecate's connection to them. There were several open wooden crates on the ground at his feet, which seemed to have most of Fang's attention.

She wasn't sure what was in them but she knew it might not end well. Now or later she wasn't to sure.

"Mornin' class!" Hagrid said, grinning at them. "We should wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss what I have planed - Blast-Ended Skrewts!"

He announced this with such enthusiasm Melinda was sure they were either illegal or on the dangerous side. If not both.

Turns out they're not exactly the most handsome of creatures, nor were they easy to feed. By the time class was over Melinda was all to happy to go. Though had to wonder why it seemed Hagrid didn't know what the Blast-Ended Skrewts did nor did Hermione seem to know.

At least Lunch was quiet compared to classes. Hermione was strangely quick to eat, so much so it began to worry even Ron.

"Is this some sort new way to free the house elves?" Ron asked, staring at Hermione with worry and shock. "To make yourself puke? Because I don't think it'll help with what you want."

Hermione gulped down the rest of her pumpkin juice and stood. "No of course not, I just want to get to the library. I'll see you at dinner."

"What is she planing?" Neville asked.

Melinda sighed, and shrugged. "I don't know, but it can't be good."

Soon the bell for afternoon classes rang and she was at least happy she didn't have Divination, she had decided to continue with Ancient Runes this year. She was fairly good at them, they weren't as hard to understand as English was to her dyslexic eyes.

She didn't have Ancient Runes till tomorrow though, she did have a free period though so she spent it in the R.O.R training. She decided to meet Ron and Neville at the Divination tower and slid inside when class was dismissed.

Ron and Neville were packing up when she entered.

"Boo," she said, laughing as the two boys jumped nearly out of their skin.

"Ah, how lovely to see you in my class dear."

Melinda stopped laughing at once and turned to see Trelawney. She smiled but it looked more like a grimace. The Professor didn't seem to notice at all.

Melinda halfheartedly listened as she spoke, and she barely heard something about something she dreaded coming to pass. She did smile when Trelawney screamed slightly when Sesha raised her eyes and glared at the woman who was causing her mistress upset.

"Melinda," Neville hissed, elbowing her in the side.

Melinda looked at him and then towards Professor Trelawney. "What?"

"I was saying, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn," said Professor Trelawney, a note of annoyance that she'd not been listening to a lot of what she was saying. Not to mention she seemed to be eying Sesha with fear and hate.

"Born under – what?" Melinda hardly controlled her amusement.

Saturn, the planet named for the Roman form of Kronos, her grandfather in the technical sense. Of course Trelawney had no idea of this but it was still amusing for her.

"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" said Professor Trelawney, irritated. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth… Your dark hair… your mean stature… tragic losses so young in life… I think I am right in saying, my dear, that you were born in midwinter?"

Melinda pursed her lips to keep from laughing and then shook her head. "Not even close, I was born in July."

Professor Trelawney looked shocked.

"It was nice meeting you Professor but we've got to go," Melinda said grabbing Neville and Ron by their robes and pulling them out of the room.

"Born under Saturn," Ron said, snickering. "Well that could explain why you're so cranky all the time."

Melinda slapped him hard around the head and Neville laughed.

"And violent," Neville added and ducked a slap and the three ran off to dinner.

"Ironic more like," Ron muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Though not nearly as ironic as this," Neville muttered as he passed Melinda a piece of parchment, from his class work notes it seemed. She raised an eyebrow at him and took it.

She laughed, having figured out what was written a minute or two later.

Two Neptune's – a midget born with glasses.

"That can't be right," Melinda said handing it back to the boy and he shrugged as they entered the Great Hall.

"Oh good, you're here," Hermione said, she was already waiting for them at the table.

"You've been here a while I take it?" Melinda asked sitting down beside her only to jump slightly in surprise as Fred slid in beside her, George across from his twin beside Neville. Lee, the twins good friend, slid in beside George.

"Don't do that Fred," Melinda gasped. "Next time I'll let Sesha give you a dry bite."

Fred gasped, placing a hand over his heart in fake hurt. "That hurt Lin, right here."

There were some snickers at this and Melinda rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure," Melinda muttered piling some beef casserole onto her plate. Barely noting that Hermione was once again eating so quickly it was as if she feared she was being timed and graded.

"This is great guys, but I've gotta go," Hermione said as she finished eating, still with a little under half her food left.

"You just got here!" Melinda exclaimed.

"I've got no choice, the Library – "

"You're not going back now are you?" Ron asked, surprised.

"Have to, lots of work to do."

"But you said Professor Vector..."

Hermione interrupted Neville. "It's not homework!" she cried over her shoulder as she'd already started jogging out of the hall.

"She's a strange one," George said as they watched her leave.

"Moody!" Lee suddenly exclaimed.

"Nah mate, Mel is the moody one," Ron said and Fred, George and Lee rolled their eyes.

"No, no not the emotion," Fred began.

"The Professor," George clarified.

"How cool was he?" Lee asked, grinning. "He's awesome mates!"

"You've had class with him?" Melinda asked, leaning forward, intrigued.

"Yep," Fred said, drawling her attention to him. She slapped his hand as he went for one of her rolls. "Ow, anyways he's super-cool, he's knows man."

"Knows what?" Ron asked.

"What it's like out there, fighting dark magic," Lee said.

Ron dove for his schedule and groaned.

"Great and we don't have him till Thursday!"

"Better luck..." George began, smirking.

Fred finished with a identical smirk. "...next time."

Melinda didn't have to wait long in reality for DADA but the days leading up to it were rather... annoying for lack of better word.

Potions was... potions. It would have been one of her favorite classes if Snape could let go of his petty rages. Even now he held the class with a vindictive iron fist. He'd laid off her a bit more but poor Neville got the brunt of it.

Snape had him disembowel a barrel full of horned toads, something which struck Neville hard seeing as his only pet was a toad. Even if Trevor was an escape artist and didn't make much of a pet Neville had become attached. She didn't know what she'd do if Snape had tried to get her to disembowel a barrel of snakes.

She knew Sesha was libel to go raving mad, she was very protective of snakes and their rights. Even the mention of killing one for any reason other then survival had her in a right mood for hours.

She was looking forward to her first defense class though and it didn't disappoint.

"You can put those away," Moody growled, making his way to his desk, "You won't be needing your books."

Everyone exchanged looks but put their books away, trying to mask their excitement. Many failed miserably.

"Potter, your snake," Moody began, coming to stand in front of her. "It's tame I take it?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Sesha is my familiar sir, she is as tame as any snake. Meaning it depends on the situation. She won't hurt anyone unless provoked or I am in danger."

Moody looked pleased with her answer. "You're a Parselmouth I've heard."

Melinda nodded. "Yes sir," she said.

"Good, that's a skill worth the scrutiny. It'll Come in handy one day," he said and turned back.

Melinda was confused about what the point to that was but said nothing.

"Now, I've read some notes on your last three professors." Moody looked at them, his fake eye moving more then it probably should. "What I've read is a disgrace the first two years. Both Quirrell and Lockhart should have been sacked, as it is they got a bit worse then that. Lupin on the other hand at least knew what he was doing."

Moody stopped then, walking behind his desk and picking up some chalk to write on the board.

"But your behind, very behind," he snapped, turning back around. "You know practically nothing about curses, about what is out there waiting for you should you not be prepared. Well, you won't be needing those N.E.W.T scores very long."

Everyone listened with rapt attention.

"The Ministry thinks you're to young to know about certain curses, certain effects they can have on you. Rubbish, you need to know this is you want to survive in the real world. How are you supposed to defend yourself against a curse you've never seen?" Moody questioned, a nervous tick seeming to take over for a second before disappearing.

"A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to stop for a second and tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it in a way you can obviously see it coming. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking." He growled the last part and then picked up a book and threw it towards Seamus' head.

"And you need to pay attention and stop sticking gum under your desk Mr. Finnegan!" he exclaimed and Seamus ducked and the book flew and hit the wall.

"Moving on," Moody grunted. "Who can tell me the one of the three spells I've written down that will earn the caster Azkaban quicker then they can speak the incantation?"

Surprisingly it was Ron who raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Um... my dad told me about one of them. The Imperius curse," Ron said, his voice sort of hesitant.

"Yes, that one gave the Ministry quite a lot of trouble," Moody said, and walked to where a glass jar was.

Inside they could make out three large spiders.

"Spiders," she heard Ron muttered fearfully behind her.

"Shh, Ronald," Hermione snapped quietly.

"Now, the Imperious Curse takes away your control. The castor becomes your master, you must do everything they tell you," Moody said as he held a spider in the palm of his hand. "Of course you could attempt to throw it off, but you have to be powerful, you have to be prepared!"

Moody pointed his wand at the spider and with a dark looked muttered, _"Imperio!" _

The spider jumped from Moody's hand, and then there was a fine thread of silk. The spider began to swing backward and forward as though on a invisible trapeze. Everyone watched as it began a routine like show, backflips, twirls, and everything in between.

Soon everyone was laughing.

"Ah, think that's funny do you?" Moody asked and then moved his wand towards the class.

The laughs turned to screams, and the spider landed on the Slytherin side.

"Not so funny now is it?" he growled and made the spider tap dance on Pansy's head. Then it jumped onto Parvati's shoulder and then Draco's face.

Melinda just stared in surprise, it was almost like what she did with the water in someones body – though she would never use it on a mortals or demigods (unless they were attempting to kill her).

Ron squealed from behind her and she turned to see the spider was now on his head, and Ron looked close to either passing out or crying.

Then Moody brought the spider back over to him.

"Would it be funny if I made it... drown itself?" he asked and the spider was above a bowl of water. The class watched in silent shock as the spider tried to fight but was loosing the will to as it's legs touched the water, kicking. Then Moody made the spider jump back to the desk in front of him.

"Not so funny now is it?" he asked, looking at the silent class. "The Imperius Curse can be fought like I said before, and I'll be teaching you how later, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got the strength to overcome it. Better to avoid being hit with it at all if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

He said this with passion, in a loud voice which made nearly everyone jump half a foot in the air.

Now, what is the next spell?" His eyes scanned them and Melinda saw them linger on her before moving on to Neville.

"Longbottom!" he barked.

Neville looked up. "Yes sir?"

"What is the next spell?"

"The...the Cru-Cruci-Cruciatus sir," he stuttered and Melinda swallowed hard.

She knew what the curse had done to Neville's family. She had been trying hard to find a cure and had gotten a good start but she knew to go any further she needed to be able to cast the spell, to be able to test her potion on a living subject. She knew a animal would work, though it would have to be more sentient then a spider.

She just hated that he was forced to see this because she had the feeling Moody was going to show them exactly what the Cruciatus looked like in action.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Moody began. "A curse which will leave even the strongest of people with the strongest of mind begging for it to stop."

Moody looked at the spider and shook his head before pointing his wand at it.

"Needs to be a bit bigger to get the idea across," he said. _"Engorgio!"_

Everyone watched in horror as it grew to be bigger then a tarantula, and she barely heard Ron squeak behind her and push his chair back to get as far from the spider as possible.

"It's just a spider Ronald," Hermione muttered even though she was eying it in distaste.

Moody raised his wand again, and muttered, _"Crucio!"_

Melinda did not miss the way Neville flinched.

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side like a child with a tummy ache. Melinda stared transfixed at the terrible sight. There was no sound but everyone could tell that if it were human or able to it would be screaming.

The spasms grew worse and Melinda felt the bile rise in her throat. She needed to learn this? She wanted to help Neville's parents but she didn't think she was capable of this spell.

"Stop it!" Melinda yelled suddenly, surprising herself.

She noticed instantly that Neville had started shaking slightly beside her, his hands cliched on the desk, knuckles turning white. His eyes wide in horror as if he was seeing what was happening to the spider but he wasn't seeing the spider. She had the terrible feeling he was seeing his parents in the spiders place.

"Stop it, can't you see it's hurting him!" Hermione cried a moment later, backing Melinda up.

Moody stopped almost instantly, pointing his want at it and speaking firmly, _"Reducio!" _

"Pain is very unpleasant to us yet people have used it to get what they want for centuries. Possibly longer. Even Muggles are not unaware of it's effect on the human mind. But for us, for wizards, all we need is two words and we can break anyone. It was very popular back then too..." he trailed off, looking over them grimly.

"There is only one other curse labeled unforgivable," Moody began, looking over at Melinda. "Can anyone tell me what that curse is?"

There were a few hands raised but Moody was still looking at Melinda.

"Ms. Potter, why don't you answer," he barked and Melinda looked at him surprised.

Looking at the spider she finally understood its fate. She sighed, knowing she had to answer the question.

"The Avada Kadavra – the Killing Curse," she muttered and Moody nodded, grunting approval.

"The worst of the worst," Moody said, and then pointed his wand at the spider. _"Avada Kadavra!"_

Melinda felt her stomach drop as a familiar green light shot from the wand and hit the spider. Not to her surprise it dropped dead and Melinda blinked hard. She felt sick.

"Instant death awaits the one hit with that curse. There Is no defense except to dodge, or not be hit. Only one person has ever survived the killing curse..." Moody looked straight at her impassively. "...and she's sitting in this very room."

Class was over soon after, thankfully and it was clear the class had effected a everyone. Neville possibly the worst. They knew what had happened to his parents already, so there no need for him to explain but they still tried to comfort their friend.

As they were heading towards the Gryffindor commons Mad-Eye stopped them and requested Neville for a little while. Something about books he might be interested in. For some reason Sesha tensed up around him, saying he smelt weird. He didn't smell like a normal person, but like two people at once, men.

So either the Professor had been close contact with another man recently or there was something else going on.

She decided to think to much on it, it couldn't be more then Mad-Eye's own personal life.

**xXx**

Neville returned by dinner and that night told them how Moody had given him a book, Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean. He assumed Professor Sprout had told him he was interested in Herbology. Melinda didn't think much on it though that part of her brain trained to be aware of monsters and threats told her it was rather strange for a perfect stranger to do.

Helping Ron and Neville on their Divination homework was actually the most fun she'd had since she'd returned. They were messing with Astrology, and she found it very amusing considering the planets were mostly named for the Roman – in by default the Greek – gods.

"So basically your just going to write crap down?" Melinda asked as Ron finally gave up figuring out what the book was saying.

"We make it chalked full of misery, she'll eat it up," Neville said, surprising Melinda and Ron.

Hermione was currently doing gods know what in the Library, or may she'd brought her work back to the girls dorm? Melinda wasn't to sure.

"Okay then. If we're doing it like this... on Monday, we will be in danger of burns."

"Yeah, we will be," Ron muttered darkly, "we're seeing the skrewts again on Monday, we're all in danger of burns. Okay, Tuesday, I'll…."

"Lose a treasured possession, or fall down the stairs – possibly both," said Melinda, flicking through Neville's copy of Unfogging the Future. "Uh, maybe the treasured possession will be your life or you limbs?"

"Hey!" Ron snapped, rubbing his neck as if to make sure it wasn't broken. Then he grinned. "Good one."

Ron began copying it down. "Because of… erm… Mercury."

Melinda smirked, she was so glad she'd learned so much about Mythology growing up. She found it particularly amusing he chose that planet to use and then he continued.

"Why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a friend?" he asked and Melinda frowned.

That had to be an omen, this was why she didn't take Divination. Oracles were bad enough she didn't need supposed seers or Ron to tell her these things. She decided then to make sure Ron didn't take Divination next year, it was obviously bad for her friend.

Either Ron was unusually lucky or drew every bad situation to him like a magnet. She was just happy he wasn't a seer, or she'd really be weary of his words.

"Because I don't take Divination," Melinda said and then stood up. "You can use that one Nev. I'm off to bed."

"She's weird," Ron muttered, shaking his head at her abrupt departure.

Neville snorted. "I don't blame her, _'why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought a friend'_, really Ron?"

Ron blinked. "I didn't...I..I don't understand girls. Or you apparently."

The next day classes went on as normal, as did life.

Nothing really note worthy happened until that afternoon when Hermione finally returned from yet another time spent in the library with a box.

"Ron, you're drowning twice... wait is that drowned by Melinda?" Hermione asked, looking at his paper confused and Ron smirked.

"Hey!" Melinda exclaimed.

"Am I? Well, I should change one to something else," Ron said, and Melinda scowled at him.

Neville shook his head at his friends antics and wrote his own prediction of being eaten by a Acromantula.

"What's that?" Melinda asked, looking back up from her Ancient Runes homework.

Hermione grinned. "S.P.E.W!"

She opened the box and the other three gathered around looked inside to see about fifty to sixty badges, all of different colors, but all bearing the same letters: S. P. E. W.

"Are you sick?" Ron asked, "did you puke or something?"

Hermione turned beat red in anger and Crookshanks who'd curled up in Hermione's lap hissed at the redhead. Crookshanks had never gotten on with Ron, not even after the whole Scabbers thing.

"Not spew you idgits," Hermione snapped, sighing.

Melinda exchanged looks with Neville and Ron and mouthed, _'Idgits'_, in confusion of where Hermione had gotten such a word.

"It's S-P-E-W. It stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."

"I've never heard of that," Neville said.

"Of course not," Hermione said briskly, "I've only just started it this week."

"Yeah?" Ron inquired, surprised. "How many members do you have yet?"

"If you three join - four," Hermione said, almost sheepishly.

"And you think someone is going to want to walk around wearing badges saying 'spew'?" asked Ron.

"S-P-E-W!" Hermione snapped. "I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status - but it wouldn't fit. So that's the heading of our manifesto."

She handed them parchments and they looked them over momentarily.

"I've been researching it thoroughly in the library all week. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now."

"Hermione – please understand," said Ron loudly. "They. Like. It. They like being enslaved!"

Melinda sighed, this was not going well.

Hermione glared at him but continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Our goals are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about nonwand use."

"Hermione you do know what House Elves are, don't you?" Melinda asked.

"Magical creatures who we take advantage of," Hermione said and she shook her head.

"The origins of the house elf have pretty much become lost over the centuries," Neville said, knowing what Melinda was getting at but unsure if she knew the origins or not.

Melinda reached into her bag beside her and pulled out her grimoire. She opened it to a certain page and pointed her wand, speaking the spell to translate into English until she reversed it.

"Read this," Melinda instructed and Hermione took the book and began to read allowed.

"Once a Race of beautiful warriors, once thought by magical mortals to be mischief demons. There realm was said to be a perfect mirror of earth without the trouble mortals caused. The elves were punished by Merlin himself for daring to overthrow the magical world..." Hermione voice stopped here and she looked over at Melinda.

"Continue," Melinda urged and Hermione sighed.

"And with the blessing of mother Hecate he cursed them to servitude to the very beings they had slaughtered. Willing servitude, and without the elves to help nurture it the realm of the elves turned to darkness, nothing more then a void. House elves are most happy serving their family, and all are born with the knowledge of their past deeds and why they were punished," Hermione finished.

"Do you see now, obviously they're not supposed to get special privileges," Ron said.

Hermione glared harshly and closed the book, handing it back to Melinda who sighed. She had a feeling that wasn't going to change Hermione's mind.

"This changes nothing. So their ancestors were punished but that's no excuse to punish the later generation!" she said, and so began S.P.E.W.

Hedwig returned the same day with a letter from Sirius.

It was basically to make sure she was settling into a new year and to try to stay out of trouble. Apparently he and Remus hated the idea of the Triwizard Tournament happening so close to her. She didn't waste much time sending a short reply back.

**xXx**

The next couple of weeks were like a never ending routine for Melinda. She'd get up, go to classes, sometimes pull off some training in the R.O.R with Luna and try to balance school work with her friends (Daphne, Astoria, Draco, the twins, and Luna).

In DADA Moody surprised them by putting them under the Imperious Curse, and having the fight it. To her surprise it wasn't as hard as she'd imagined (after the first try where she'd been forced to jump and had attempted to both jump and not jump and almost fractured her kneecaps).

She suspected that it might have something to do with her being a demigod – it couldn't be easy to control a daughter of Poseidon and Legacy of Hecate.

It was rather amusing to watch Parkinson do the some sort of chicken dance though.

Potions was quaint, Snape was avoiding the chance to give her any sort of detentions but that might have something to do with the unsuspected swim he took the second week of term. She had a feeling her father had taken some notice of how Snape treated her and hadn't taken it lightly.

She knew he checked in on her at times so it wouldn't surprise her. Either that or the lake creatures had noticed and revolted in the only way they knew how.

She wasn't sure who Snape blamed but she was pretty sure it was her. He just wasn't willing to punish her with no evidence and the fact he couldn't be sure if it had been her, the creatures in the lake, or the sea god himself. It was definitely amusing, but she doubted it would last long.

If there was one class which had become harder, with a steady increase to the work load it was Transfiguration. Melinda had always been average at the subject, sometimes a little above if she really put her mind to it. But the subject was and would never be her favorite.

"It is needed to prepare you for your Ordinary Wizarding Levels, which are drawling closer with each passing day," McGonagall told them during class. Her eyes stern and honest.

"That's not until fifth year!" Seamus exclaimed and Professor McGonagall's disapproving stare swerved over to the Irishman.

"That is not as far as you would imagine. The O.W.L.S will determine many things, like what classes you'll be allowed to continue in your sixth year. You can not move forward unless you pass a certain number of subjects with at least a Acceptable. You'll thanks me later," she said wisely and moved on with the course work of the day.

Charms was pretty normal, except for the essay they were given on the summoning charms they were currently studying. Hagrid was still teaching them what he knew about the Blast-Ended Skrewts. Melinda had gotten a fair share of burns (thankfully not near as bad as some others suffered) from them – leading her to believe they must have strong fire abilities seeing as she wasn't the easiest person to burn.

Once class ended they headed back to the school, but were stopped in the entrance hall because of the large banner being hung at the base of the marble staircase.

**TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT**

**THE DELEGATIONS FROM**

**ARCADIA, BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY –**

Melinda couldn't speak for her friends but she didn't bother attempting to read the rest of the large English words. Her eyes were already killing her from working out half the words on the banner she had read.

"Why does that make me nervous?" Melinda asked.

"Because you have the worst luck on Halloween?" Neville suggested and Melinda sighed as they moved past finally and headed to the Gryffindor common room.

It just so happened the the 30th of October was only two days away, that Wednesday.

"It's a bummer," George said as he sat across from her, and Fred slid in beside her – Hermione was on her opposite side and Neville and Ron were sitting beside each other across from them.

"What is?" Melinda asked, curious.

Fred grinned. "Nothing important Mel, so how are you this morning?"

Melinda smiled. "Better now."

George rolled his eyes, noticing Ron, Neville and Hermione didn't bother hiding their own exasperation at the two.

"So, tonight the schools arrive," George said, breaking the little trance his twin and Melinda seemed to have entered. Blue into green and vice versa.

"Did anyone ever figure out how the tournament is going to work?" Neville asked, picking at his saussage and eggs. "I mean how do they pick a champion?"

Hermione frowned. "I reread Hogwarts a History and any other book I could find. The tournament hasn't been held a decades from what I've read. It just got to dangerous. It didn't say how they were chosen though this is the first time since 1710 that a fourth school has been involved. The last time it was between Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beauxbatons, and Salem Witches Institute."

"Salem is in America, right?" Melinda asked, and Hermione nodded. "What about Arcadia."

Hermione snorted. "I couldn't find a whole lot, I know it's a lot like Hogwarts in the way it's divided into groups. It's also a boarding school but with a choice. Some stay year round, others go home for the summer and others just come during the week for classes. It's located in Greece but the exact location isn't exactly common knowledge."

Melinda blinked. "Greece?"

"Ironic isn't it?" Ron snickered.

George and Fred raised identical eyebrows. "What's ironic?"

Melinda froze for a moment and then smiled. "I just have some family from Greece, I mean on my mothers side."

"You're part Greek?" Fred asked, smiling. "Hmm, explains why your so tan."

Melinda chuckled, she wasn't that tan but it was why she had a darker tan then others.

The conversation then turned to Hermione's campaign for House Elf rights. No matter what Melinda tried to do to explain why the house elves were treated well considering the crime against the magical world committed she would hear none of it. There was no doubt in Melinda's mind that Hermione's fatal flaw had to be pride because she was acting like a person who'd had their pride wounded and wouldn't think about what the House Elves wanted instead of what she wanted for the House elves.

After breakfast Fred walked her to class.

"So, did you come up with anymore brilliant ideas to get past the age limit?" Melinda asked Fred in a teasing manner as they walked.

"I'm working on it," Fred said. "What about you, this is after all right up your alley."

Melinda wasn't to sure what he meant by it but quickly shook her head.

"No, I don't want any part of this tournament." She smiled at him. "I want a quiet year. Well as quiet as watching the school compete can get."

Fred nodded, chuckling. "Understandable."

The two were enjoying themselves so much they didn't even notice the people around them, at least not until Melinda smacked into a hard body and nearly feel if not for Fred and the boy she'd smacked in to.

"Whoa there Melinda," a familiar voice said. "Might want to pay a little more attention."

Melinda looked to find Cedric grinning at her brightly, obviously amused. She smiled back, and could almost feel Fred tense beside her.

"Thanks Cedric, I'll be sure to do that," she said and Cedric nodded.

"I'll see you later," Cedric said. "Saturday in the Library right?"

Fred watched this with a frown. Why were they getting together on a Saturday, in the library or not?

"Yep, I'll see you there." Melinda waved as he walked past them and she turned to Fred.

"What's wrong?" she asked, seeing his frown.

Fred blinked and shook his head. "Nothing, uh...how do you know Cedric so well?"

Melinda blinked. "He's helping me with Transfiguration, you know I have a little trouble in that subject."

"Oh," Fred said, and though he was relieved it was only that he was also jealous. Why couldn't she had asked him for help? He wasn't too bad at Transfiguration.

"Well, this is my stop," Melinda said as they stopped outside the Herbology classroom.

"Yeah," Fred said, a little sadly.

Melinda chuckled and leaned up, kissing his cheek lightly. "Thanks for walking me here Fred."

Fred stood in shock as Melinda entered the classroom, his face turning slightly red as his cheek tingled.

**xXx**

Melinda could honestly say she was impressed.

No one paid much attention to their classes that day, but everyone was attentive when dinner arrived. No one knew how the school planed to arrive but their entrance was both dramatic and amazing.

Beauxbatons were the first to arrive, and the powder blue carriage pulled by winged horse, what she knew were offspring of regular horses and pegasi (palominos from what she could tell), drew gasps of awe and surprise. The horses themselves were beautiful, and as it got closer it was clear to see the carriage was meant to hold dozens of people seeing as it was the size of a house.

Seconds later there was a large boom-like sound as the hooves of the horses hit the ground and then a moment later the carriage followed. Once it stopped the golden horses with fiery eyes tossed their heads and snorted as if they thought themselves too proud to be on the ground.

From the way they chattered to each other Melinda new she was right, but it surprised her. She'd never met such spoiled self centered horses – not that she'd met winged horses before, but she'd read about pegasi enough to know the difference between a Pegasus and a winged horse.

Truthfully there wasn't much difference, wizards were just snobs and didn't want to use a term supposedly made by Muggles.

Then the biggest shock was the woman who exited the carriage first. Melinda wondered briefly if this woman and Hagrid were lost relatives but they looked hardly anything alike. The only similarity was their height. She doubted there was more then a few inches difference and she wasn't sure who would be taller – the woman or Hagrid.

She was revealed to have a handsome, olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to toe in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers.

She was obviously one to impress and she wasn't exactly hard to look at either, you know if you were a male into that kind of woman.

"Dumbly-dor," said Madame Maxime in a deep yet feminine voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"

Dumbledore took the woman's hand, and though tall himself he had no need to bend far to kiss the back of the Headmistress of Beauxbatons' hand.

"My dear Madame Maxime," he said, raising back up straight and letting her hand go. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

She grinned graciously. "It is a pleasure," she said her accent thick but her English rather good.

She then waved a hand towards the carriage, smiling softly. "My pupils."

Melinda and nearly everyone else look behind the giant woman and saw for the first time a dozen boys and girls, all in their late teens, were standing behind Madame Maxime. They were dressed in some of the finest materials, their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. Melinda figured they must be cold and though they tried to hide it a few were shivering.

They were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks, though some seemed impressed by the castle others not so much.

"'As Karkaroff and Angelis arrived yet?" Madame Maxime questioned

"Not at the moment, but they should be arriving any time now," said Dumbledore. "Would you like come in and settle, warm up, it must be rather shocking weather for your students and yourself."

"Warm up, I believe," Madame Maxime said, looking back at her shivering students. "But ze 'orses -"

"Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be more then happy to see to them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation with one of his animals"

Melinda heard some snorts at that and she couldn't blame them. She wasn't to sure you could consider the Skrewts animals or not.

"Are you sure, ze 'orses can be quite forceful when being 'andled," she said, clearly hesitant to trust the winged horses with a stranger.

Melinda was unsure if any of the concern was for Hagrid since she assumed Madame Maxime thought Hagrid would be a normal Joe human. Melinda was pretty sure the games keeper and Professor was more then that, not that it matter to her.

"I assure you, Hagrid is up to the challenge."

Madame Maxime seemed to consider and then nodded.

"Very well," said Madame Maxime. "Will you be sure to inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey? Zey are very picky about zat."

"It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing.

"Come, we shall warm ourselves inside zis fine sc'ool," said Madame Maxime, an air in her tone that clearly led one to believe she was not used to being told no.

she was used to being listened to and respected and she had that air that granted respect. Almost like a waving sea, Hogwarts students parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps and into the school.

The crowd began to chatter amongst themselves but Melinda didn't hear much, she was focused on the horses.

_She can hear us, I can tell!_ A golden horse said and the other horses seemed to snort in snotty disbelief of the second lead horse.

_Your senses are screwed too tight fluffy._ One snapped, the lead horse who seemed to be a real big shot.

Melinda snorted, and the horses all turned to her and she muttered knowing they'd hear her.

"I can hear you, but we shouldn't talk now. Witnesses."

The horses whined and then a few minutes later there was a sort of rumbling noise and she could almost sense something from the lake. A moving mass, a large shape...a ship?

"What is that?' Ron asked.

"It's...it's a ship I think," Melinda muttered her eyes wide.

"Look at the lake!" Lee Jordan exclaimed and almost at once the school turned to gaze upon it.

Something was slowly rising from the lake, making what seemed like mini whirlpools and bubbles along the once calm waters.

"That's a mast!" Melinda realized.

"A what?" Neville questioned and she rolled her eyes.

"A thing on a ship," Ron answered for her and she sighed.

"Not exactly Ron," Melinda said. "But close enough."

The ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. At the same time over noticed another group joining them. They came by air as well, but they had large birds pulling a less extravagant carriage which looked more like a old fashioned marble temple. It was clearly Greek in inspiration and on the side was a symbol, a vergina sun in shinning gold.

The ship was the first to dock and descend onto land. Most who exited the ship were male, though there were a few females all in their late teens as well. They seemed rather bulky though, but as they drew closer it was clear it was from the cloaks they wore which had some sort of shaggy, matted fur.

The man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair. This was obviously the headmaster.

"Dumbledore!" he called with a laugh. "How are you?"

"Alive and well I dear say, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," Dumbledore replied.

Karkaroff gave Melinda the wiggins, she decided that within a minute of seeing him. He was tall and thin, maybe to thin, and he looked as if he'd seen a lot he rather wished he hadn't from the wrinkle lines. His white hair was short, and his goatee which seemed to curl at the end did not entirely hide his seemingly weak chin.

He and Dumbledore shook hands almost like old buddies though.

"I see Theodora has arrived," Karkaroff said as he turned to see the birds land.

Melinda thought they might be eagles of some sort, golden ones at that. Large enough to be a match for a Acromantula. She wasn't sure if they were naturally like that or if they were created through magic.

"I dear say, Professor Angelis won't like that much," Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling. ", you calling her by first name."

It was now obvious the Headmasters of the four school had met before.

Everyone watched as the door with the symbol was slid open and a slender foot was placed out first. Then came the rest of the body. The foot had been covered in a dark brown boot and moving up it seemed she had some sort of black leggings and a chiton in a cream color which feel to her knees. A brown belt around her waist, an obviously Greek style. She had a royal purple cloak which kept her warm seeing as the chiton could almost be considered sleeveless.

The woman had a complexion a tad bit paler then Melinda's own, but sharp features which were warm yet very serious. She reminded Melinda a little of a younger, less strict (at least in some ways) McGonagall. She was probably not older then Sirius himself, her mid thirties – surprising many since the other three Headmasters were well up there in age.

Her hair was loose and a nearly white blonde, her eyes a crystal blue which caught the rays of moonlight and nearly looked transparent.

"It is lovely to see you again Dumbledore," Professor Angelis, Melinda supposed, said in a thick Greek accent. Her lips quirked up slightly, but she seemed to smile with her eyes rather then her lips. Her English was near perfect.

She walked towards then, and Dumbledore kissed the back of her hand just as he'd done with Madame Maxime. Karkaroff did the same yet there seemed to be a tension between Karkaroff and Angelis.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, both of you. It is truly a pleasure to have you here Professor Angelis, it is a wonderful opportunity to once again have four schools competing instead of three."

Angelis seemed to contemplate this, and nodded. "Yes, I suppose so. Three is a very important number to the Greeks, we almost did not agree. Superstitious I suppose you could call it, but in the end here we are. I do hope it wasn't a mistake."

Karkaroff rolled his eyes discretely, or what he thought was and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled – like they ever stopped Melinda thought. It was like Dumbledore knew Angelis had meant no disrespect.

Melinda noticed many had turned their attention to the students who followed after their Headmistress a minute or two later.

They were all dressed similarly to their headmistress – or at least the females were. They all were boots of one kind or another in brown and the females all wore black leggings. Some were white chitons similar to their headmistress but a inch or two shorter – but not by much.

All wore belts but some were black and others were brown. Others were what appeared to be some sort of gray or silver sleeveless shirt which was long and came to just above the knee with a long split on either side for movement.

It looked as if the boys were wearing either dark jeans or leather pants and dark brown shirts. Others had regular dark or gray t-shirts of some sort. It appeared that the Greek school didn't really have a dress code or uniform, but for this occasion they'd dressed in similar things to make a good impression.

The one thing they did share were cloaks like their Headmistress with the same golden symbol that was on the carriage on the back and on the front right breast was a smaller version with Greek characters under it.

It took her a few moments to read from the distance but to her surprise it actually was in Ancient Greek.

Macedonia, Athens, Sparta, and Delos.

Melinda knew those names easily, they were mentioned a lot in mythology. Places of great importance in Greece. She assumed they were what the Hogwarts houses were to the Arcadia Academy of Magic.

"Yes, we're all here it seems," Karkaroff said, looking up at the Hogwarts with a yellow grin. "How good it is to be here."

Angelis didn't seem to be impressed by Karkaroff at all but the Durmstrang Headmaster didn't even acknowledge she was there. He turned to his students and nodded.

"Viktor, come along, into the warmth…" he trailed off and moved forward, and a boy came to the head of the students and followed ahead with his Headmaster.

As the boy passed her she caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose, thick black eyebrows, and dark handsome eyes.

Ron gasped like a strangled cat.

"it's Krum!"

Hermione sighed, Neville snickered and Melinda rolled her eyes.

"So it is," Melinda said, not impressed at all.

Sesha snickered from her spot coiled around her mistress and Melinda smiled.

She had reached out to stroke the golden hued scales on her familiar when the Greek students passed, some chattering in a mix of modern and Ancient Greek.

Her gaze happened to land on a few as they passed, taking in skin tones that ranged from rather pale and rosy to olive and even darker. Eyes that came as blue as the clearest sky and a dark as the night sky. Hair colors from the palest blonde to the darkest black.

One in particular though caught her attention, a girl with a rather stiff posture. Like she was used to protecting herself and being ready at all times. She noticed the words on her chest were Macedonia, and Melinda had to wonder if she asked if any of them would tell her what that meant exactly.

Her skin was tan, and she was lithe, older then her by a few years. Probably seventeen or eighteen with dark brown hair and equally as brown eyes.

"You okay Mel?" Neville asked form her side and she looked at him and blinked.

"What?"

"You zoned out," he said, concerned.

Melinda smiled. "I'm fine, just got caught up in my thoughts.

That night at dinner, the Triwizard Tournament finally began.

* * *

**AN: Just a reminder, I changed the fourth school to Arcadia. Completely original to me as far as I know. I always planed the school to be in Greece, but it wasn't until later that I realized Salem really didn't work for that. Not to mention it's not as original as I'd like if I went with calling the school Salem. I just thought I should explain the name change a little more. Hopefully I didn't confuse anyone. **


	16. The Years Before: Year Four IV

**AN: So here is the next part. Sadly it isn't the end of year four like I wanted but it was taking so long I cut the last chapter in two. The next chapter will be the end of year four. I did this not only because of the fact it's been so long sense I last updated but because my muse told me to end it where I did. Things really begin to get interesting next chapter.**

** Especially with the addition of a fourth task, to make it seem even with the appearance of a fourth school. Four task, five champions. Just like how there were three task in the book and four champions. Not to mention it's help add more action.  
**

**Next chapter we'll see interaction between Cedric, Melinda and another OC and secrets will be revealed surrounding them. Task will be held and so will a Yule Ball. Eventually we'll get to the end of the year which I am sure everyone is looking forward too.  
**

**I will try to get the next chapter out quicker, but like I've said I am slave to my muse. I write chapters for the stories she tells me to. Reviews help though, my muse feeds on them.  
**

**One more thing. Anything mentioned about Greece and their culture or foods I got from researching online. I have never been to Greece so I don't know if some of what I've found is completely correct or not. So if anyone from Greece reads this hopefully you won't be offended as I don't mean to. I'm just ignorant to Greek customs and stuff.  
**

**Anyways I hope you enjoy and R&R!  
**

**P.S. One reviewer (I am sorry I forgot their name) mentioned Arcadia was the home of Pan, the god of the wild. Those who've read the PJO books know whom this is. When I named the school that I actually had no idea he was from there but I am extremely happy he is because it makes the school that much more interesting. Not to mention I've always been fond of Pan, it was rather sad when they found him in the BOTL only for him to fade.  
**

**I just thought that was an interesting fact to point out.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 16: The Years Before: Year Four IV.**

"It's Krum, he's here!" Ron kept muttering, bragging or exclaiming or all the above.

The Hogwarts student had begun falling back into the school after the Arcadia students and hadn't shut up about Krum.

It was beginning to drive Melinda, Hermione and Neville mad.

"For Merlin's sake Ron," Hermione finally snapped once they got the Gryffindor table. "He's just a Quidditch player, why does it matter if Viktor Krum is here?"

Ron stared at her like she'd told him he was a Malfoy and had been adopted by the Weasleys. She noticed that Ron wasn't the only one clambering for a look at the Bulgarian Seeker. Lee Jordan was jumping up and down for a look at him over tops of others heads, and nearly every table was whispering about him.

The girls had to be the worse, from third year up he was all they seemed to care about, either seeing if he was single (some didn't care if he wasn't they still planed to get some – there words not hers) and others wanted his autograph.

It was annoying, beyond annoying.

"I'm getting his autograph, I have too," Ron said. "Damn, no quill."

Ron looked over at them hopefully. "Do you have one? Melinda, Neville, Hermione?"

"No," Melinda replied and it was true.

She didn't carry quills around with her to dinner. Hermione and Neville both shook their heads in the negative but she wasn't too sure Hermione was totally truthful. Either way she didn't blame her if she wasn't, Ron was becoming sort of obsessive creepy about Krum. He wasn't even all that cute in her mind.

"Oh no," Ron suddenly said, pale.

"What's the matter Ronnie-kins?" Fred asked from beside her – she really needed to pay attention more because she hadn't even realized the twins had sat down with them. Just a few minutes ago they were sitting with Lee down the table.

"Loose your boyfriend?" George finished the thought and a third of a the golden quartet – as many had begun calling them over the years – bit back snickers.

Ron turned red, starting with his ears as he glared at his two brothers.

Sure enough when she glanced around she saw that the Durmstrang Students had decided to sit at the Slytherin table, close to where Draco and his two guards were. Draco looked unsurprisingly smug, as did many Slytherins.

The students from Beauxbatons had decided to sit with the Ravenclaws, not really surprising since their attitudes sort of reminded her of the Ravenclaws. They looked rather gloomy and some clutched scarves to themselves as if it were extremely cold.

It wasn't all that bad in here, though she supposed they could still be feeling the effects of staying outside in the cold for as long as they had. It was beginning to turn to winter already so it wouldn't surprise her.

The Arcadia students didn't pick one table. She saw them scattered about. Some sat at the Slytherin table, mostly those that looked less friendly, and she noticed the words sown in crimson under the school symbol was Ancient Greek for Sparta.

If she had to guess she'd say the four houses of Arcadia were similar to the four houses of Hogwarts but based on either the personalities of their founders or the lands they'd been named after. If that was the case the ones with crimson must be the more war ready.

She really wished Hermione could have found more then she did about the Greek School, but Arcadia was apparently very private and only accepted from Greece, and certain places around Greece.

She noticed those who wore the cloaks with blue stitching which said Delos sat mostly with the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. The Sparta students seemed to be fond of Slytherin and Ravenclaw. The ones with gray stitching which read, Athens, sat mostly with the Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

The last house of students which wore cloaks with silver stitching spelling out Macedonia seemed fond of Gryffindor and Slytherin and there were even a few at the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

The girl she'd noticed before was sitting at the Hufflepuff table, talking to Cedric as if they knew each other. Maybe they were pen pals or something, she thought to herself.

"Stupid Malfoy, bet he's loving this," Ron grumbled. "I bet Krum can see straight through him though..." Ron was now stabbing at his empty plate fiercely.

"You're acting like a lovesick girl Ronald," Hermione sighed, shaking her head. "It's rather disturbing."

Neville snorted. "What Mione said."

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said Dumbledore, smiling happily the foreign students. "Before we begin the feast I would like to say, I have never had a greater pleasure then welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and am sure that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable."

"Now on to more serious matters. The Triwizard Tournament is an honor to attend and compete in. And to host in ones own school is even greater of an honor. But it will be dangerous as I've said before, once you enter your name into the Goblet of Fire there is no turning back" Dumbledore looked at them all sternly in his warning.

"So with that said, the tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," continued Dumbledore. He raised his goblet then. "I now wish you the best, to those who wish to endeavor into the tournament. And now... let the feast...begin!"

He sat down just as the plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house elves had obviously slaved for hours over this meal seeing as she saw such different things. Meals that were obviously foreign. She noticed instantly the Greek food, and even recognized some of the french and the other must be Bulgarian inspired or maybe Russian.

Melinda had always enjoyed cooking, at the Dursley's it was all she enjoyed doing that was on her chore list. She'd been cooking since she was five or maybe she'd been four and it calmed her down. She preferred to cook meals when she'd moved in with Sirius, especially since her two guardians could barely make pasta much less not burn the house down.

Foreign dishes had been a new inspiration. She once tried some America meals she'd read about in the books she would attempt to read to tame her dyslexia, the Dursley's had not been impressed. The good news was she got to eat the food herself, the bad news was she was given a longer list of chores and had to make more food to their liking.

The best part of living with Sirius and Remus was they didn't care that she had books translated to Greek with Greek recipes. They actually seemed to enjoy the Greek foods she'd make every now and then.

She was instantly happy to see the Yiaourti, or yogurt with honey and walnuts. Her favorite Greek desert. Sometimes the house elves made it at meal times. She didn't exactly know why but she suspected that like Dobby the other house elves could sense or smell who she was.

"What's that, it looks kinda strange." Ron pointed out a large dish of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding. And on on the other side of the shellfish stew was another pot with what Melinda recognized as Psarosoupa, or fish soup, with different fishes and vegetables.

"Bouillabaisse," Hermione said, she'd already served herself some of the different foods. It seemed she wanted to sample each cultures food.

"Huh?" Neville asked, having scooped some of the black pudding into his plate.

"It's French," said Hermione, "It's very nice."

"I'll take your word for it," said Ron, helping himself to black pudding. "What are you eating?"

Hermione looked down and frowned. "I'm not positive what the Bulgarian dish is, but it taste rather good. You already know the soup is Bouillabaisse."

"And that white stuff with the olives?" Neville questioned, looked at the strange side dish his friend had chosen.

Melinda looked over from where she'd served herself some Psarosoupa, a small serving of Dakos – a Cretan salad – Yiaourti, and spooned some olives onto her plate as well. In her goblet she poured from the pitcher with Greek designs, she knew what it was.

Greeks were partial to beverages that were alcoholic, wine, beer...etc.

From what she understood there wasn't technically an age on drinking in Greece, privately at least, but publicly it was 18, not many followed that though. She hoped one day to visit Greece, maybe that was one reason why she was so interested in the Greek students.

Technically it was illegal by England laws for her to drink wine seeing as she wasn't the minimum age of 16 or 17, but in the magical world the age for alcohol was seventeen not eighteen. She was still underage, but she didn't see anyone stopping anyone from pouring out of the Greek pitchers.

But then only a few seemed to want to that weren't Greek themselves.

Those who attempted and weren't at least sixteen couldn't grasp the handle as proven by Ron who attempted after she'd poured her own. She chalked it up to her Greek roots, or being a demigod having fooled whatever enchantment was on the wine.

She shook her head, coming out of her thoughts.

"It's feta cheese and olives, a Greek dish. I guess you could consider it a snack to them," Melinda explained.

Fred looked at her and then the foods she had on her plate and smiled.

"I guess you were serious about being part Greek," he chuckled. "What's all that?"

"Yiaourti – yogurt with honey and walnuts. Dakos, a Cretan salad. Some Olives and Psarosoupa, or fish soup," she listed.

"It's looks weird," Ron said, his mouth full.

"It's not," she said, happily, putting a spoon full of her soup into her mouth.

As she ate her eyes landed on Cedric and that girl again. Cedric was looking over at her in contemplation, like he was trying to figure something out, and then waved at her while the girl was looking at her strangely. Taking note of her food choices, Melinda realized and she smiled back, waving at Cedric and by default the girl.

She'd ask Cedric about her Saturday.

She didn't realize how screwed up things were about to get.

**xXx**

The next day was the Halloween, and the day the Champions would be chosen by the Goblet of Fire. Needless to say Melinda, Hermione, Neville and Ron were not the only ones to get up early. Rumors of who'd already placed their name in the Goblet of Fire had circulated like wild fire, and she knew for a fact Cedric had already placed his in. She'd seen quite a few from every house and the foreign schools going up to it after dinner.

Fred and George were of course scheming ways to get past the age line, but that was nothing knew.

She didn't think it would work, and part of her was relieved by that. She'd read up a little on the tournament, there was actually quite a few serious injuries listed in the unedited rule and history book she'd begged off Percy (who had become a bit... lap dogish to the Ministry lately. But she knew eventually her friend would see the truth, if he wasn't already beginning too).

Back when the tournament was held every five years or so two out of every three tournaments ended in death. Or permanent disability. The last time Hogwarts one a victory was in 1593. that was also one of the few times it was held at Hogwarts, usually it was held at another school.

"This is rather exciting," Ginny said, appearing beside Neville with a large grin.

Melinda laughed as Neville jumped, squeaking in surprise and shock. Ginny grinned, her large brown eyes lightening with mirth at the fact she'd scared Neville so much.

"What are you doing here Ginny?" Ron asked, slightly annoyed.

Ginny gave her brother the stink eye. "Nice to know you care brother." She shook her head. "I'm Mel's friend too you know, I can talk to her if I want. Hermione and Neville too."

Hermione smiled. "How are you Gin?" she asked.

"Good, who do you think will be the Hogwarts Champion?" Ginny asked.

"Hopefully not some stinkin' Slytherin," Ron sneered.

Melinda sighed. "I personally take offense to that," she muttered.

_::I as well mistress,::_ Sesha chorused, lifting her serpent head.

"Why?" Ron asked but she never got to answer since they'd had to push there way into the entrance hall.

The Entrance hall was nearly packed with people, some eating toast and gossiping some just gossiping and others places pieces of parchment into the blue-flaming Goblet. some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire.

It had been placed in the center of the hall, and a thin golden line formed a circle around the goblet.

Anyone too young hit a barrier, those who tried to force their way in were thrown back a few feet. Those who didn't get the hint from that were shocked.

"I can't believe I did it," Angelina, a very pretty black girl who Melinda played on the Quidditch team with said as she passed them.

"Hey Angie," Melinda said and Angelina turned, smiling at the younger girl.

"Hey," she said. "Early morning huh?"

"Yeah, whose put there name in so far?" Ron asked suddenly and Angelina shrugged.

"Just about everyone old enough. All of Durmstrang and half of Beauxbatons. It's about average for the Arcadia students, they don't seem to eager to put there name in. I think I've only seen four or five this morning."

"Anyone from Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

Angelina shrugged. "Not that I've seen... yet. I heard Cedric Diggory entered last night."

"I hope it's not him," Ron groaned. "We'd never win with pretty-boy Diggory as champion."

Melinda frowned, hitting Ron over the back of the head and then there were two identical laughs behind them.

Turning, they saw Fred, and George, both looking much to excited for it to be safe.

"Great news," Fred announced, grinning.

"And what pray tell is that?" Angelina asked, rolling her eyes.

George grinned at the girl. "Now Angie, don't be so disbelieving."

"The Aging Potion, of course," said Fred. "We've done it."

"One drop each is all we'll need," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee you'd see on a mad scientist or mischief maker that they were. "We only need to be a few months older."

"We're going to split the prize Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," Lee said popping up behind the twins, with a wide grin.

"It's not going to work," Hermione said, in a almost sing-song way.

"What makes you – " George began, turning their attention to Hermione who was smirking slightly.

" - say that, dearest bookworm?" Fred finished and Hermione sighed.

"That age line was drawn by Dumbledore himself," Hermione said. "There is no way a aging potion will fool it."

"We'll see about that," Lee said, smirking.

"Ready?" Fred asked taking his own vial which had only a tiny amount inside. No more then three drops, maybe four. George and Lee did the same.

"Bottoms up," Fred and George said in unison and the three mischief makers downed the potion.

After a few seconds they turned jumping over the age line and into the circle which protected the Goblet.

The twins had gone first, and Lee was about to follow them when there was a sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled from the golden circle. They landed painfully, over ten feet away on the cold stone floor. What had nearly everyone laughing though was the identical long white beards they sported.

"What...this is your fault!" the twins cried in unison and dived onto each other in a fight.

Melinda sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I did warn you it wouldn't work," Hermione said, smugly.

"Come on you two, I'll walk with you to the Hospital Wing," Melinda said, walking over and pulled the twins apart as best she could.

"Hey, don't pull my hair Mel!" George exclaimed.

"Not my ear Lin, not my ear!" Fred cried and she smirked.

"Well then come on," Melinda said and then turned to her amused and shocked friends. "Save me some breakfast guys."

Then she set off to the hospital wing with the twins.

**xXx**

Halloween day went by pretty quickly. She had taken lunch to the R.O.R to meet with Luna for some training. She unfortunately didn't see Luna a lot these days because of the work load, and the excitement of the tournament. Something told her it wouldn't be for a while that she had more time for her other friends.

After Dinner the champions were finally announced and every sat with bated breath, clearly anxious for the revelation of the Triwizard Champions.

"The Hogwarts Champion is..." Dumbledore paused to read the paper which sprung from the Goblet's now red/orange flames. "CEDRIC DIGGORY!"

Melinda smiled, clapping for her friend. Everyone seemed more then happy with the announcement though there were those from every house – except Hufflepuff – that didn't look to exited or supportive.

"For the Durmstrang students!" Dumbledore began, calling silence to the hall. The parchment floating to his hand. "The champion is... VIKTOR KRUM!"

Melinda nearly went deaf at the reaction this gained and she rolled her eyes as the Bulgarian Seeker walked proudly to the room where the Champions left to.

"Now for the Beauxbatons," Dumbledore began. "The Champion is...FLEUR DELACOUR!"

Melinda clapped politely as the silvery blonde haired girl walked proudly away. She had to wonder If the girl was even human with the amount of beauty she seemed to possess. Maybe a descendant of Aphrodite or blessed by the beauty and love goddess? It wasn't unheard of, though unlikely. You might get fifty demigod who were witches or wizard every two decades, if that.

"Now, for Arcadia," Dumbledore said once it was quieted down enough. "The Champion is... DASHA MARKOS!"

Melinda watched in interest as the Arcadia students clapped happily, some cheers being heard but they seemed the most reserved. Melinda was taken a little by surprise when the girl who'd she'd seen around Cedric stood and walked proudly yet not so proud that it seemed she had a big ego towards the room where the Champions resided.

"Now that we have our four Champions let us adjourn – " Dumbledore was cut off by the sound of the Goblet acting once more and everyone watched in great shock as the Goblet glowed red/orange again and spat out another piece of parchment.

Melinda felt dread in her gut as this happened, something Hecate had said coming back to her momentarily.

"Melinda Potter." Dumbledore looked up from the paper to the silence shocked room.

"Melinda Potter," he said again and Melinda released a sharp breath. "MELINDA POTTER!"

She flinched then and stood with a little push from Hermione and with one last glance back at her friends and a shocked and seemingly worried Fred she walked up to Dumbledore.

He was looking at her as if she was under inspection and it unnerved her. She had nothing to hide, and then he gave her the parchment which had her name written in her semi-neat and semi-sloppy handwriting. If it were not her name written on the paper she wasn't sure she'd know what it said being in English.

Looking once more at the Headmaster she turned and headed for the Champion room – which was basically the Trophy room with a slight makeover.

"She's a cheat!" someone cried and there were some other sounds of disgust and boos. She sighed, placed a comforting hand on Sesha's scales to stop the snake from doing something foolish.

Melinda thought this was utter bullshit.

_Stay calm daughter, you'll get through this._

Melinda smiled slightly at the words that could only have come from her father. He must have been watching, or just known somehow. She'd never understand how a god worked as long as she'd live.

"Mel," Cedric said, raising an eyebrow at her appearance. He was standing at the fireplace with Dasha leaning against the wall close by. Fleur was sitting in a chair in front of the fire and Viktor moved into focus when she entered. "Do they need to see us again?"

Melinda shocked her head. "No, I don't know."

"Why are you here?" the Arcadia Champion, Melinda remembered her name was Dasha, asked.

Melinda noticed her accent wasn't as thick as others she'd heard during the day. Like she'd spent time in America since it reminded Melinda of her father's accent, but slightly more Greek.

"That's a good question," Melinda said, handing the parchment with her name on it to Cedric with a sigh. "Someone screwed me over."

"This is... your a Champion too," Cedric realized, his eyes widening in slight fear.

He hadn't known Melinda very close until Third year when he'd helped her a bit with Transfiguration. That continued this year and he'd grown to care a lot for the younger girl. She was like a little sister.

"Zis can not be, zhe is just a little girl," Fleur said and Melinda wasn't sure if she should be thankful to Fleur or upset that the girl didn't think she could do it.

"Did she put her name in?" Krum asked, and Melinda looked at him and shook her head.

"_She_ is right here, and why would I?"

"Fame, money, eternal glory," Dasha listed offed, looking at her sort of coolly.

Melinda snorted. "Got it but don't want it, got it in spades, and once again got it and don't need nor want it."

Dasha blinked and looked at her and then nodded in understanding. "Right, you are the one they call the Girl-Who-Lived."

"Yes, you didn't know about it before?" Melinda asked.

Dasha shrugged. "The news didn't really last like it has in other European countries in Greece."

Melinda grinned. "Hmm, that's awesome."

"You're a strange girl," Dasha said, smiling a little.

"Melinda!" Dumbledore exclaimed from the entrance, and Melinda turned quickly to see a select few Professors and each Headmaster or Headmistress of the school following him in.

Melinda backed away, but Dumbledore seemed determined to pop her personal bubble boundary as he gripped her upper arms and looked at her with wide blue eyes. The twinkle absent.

"Did you put your name in the Goblet, did you get someone else to? Did you?"

Melinda shook him off forcefully, glaring. "No!"

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked, backing away.

He didn't want to believe she had but she was living with two Marauders now, and Sirius wasn't the best role model. He was lucky he hadn't voice that out loud or Melinda probably would have cursed him, one way or another. Maybe she could find one that made all his stupid candies taste like sewer water for a month.

"Of course I'm sure," Melinda snapped.

"She's lying of course," Karkaroff sneered. "Attention seeking brat she is."

"Rubbish!" Mad-Eye exclaimed. "It'd take a level of magic, dark magic at that to fool the Goblet. Not something a fourth year witch could accomplish."

"I have to agree with Moody," Snape drawled. "But it is rather...coincidental her name wound up in it."

Melinda gritted her teeth together.

"I did not enter my name in this stupid tournament!" she began, her voice loud and cold, along with her sea colored eyes. "Why would I want to? I don't need eternal glory, I already have that by surviving the killing curse, along with fame. I'm the last Potter, a Pureblood family who has enough money to last several centuries. I am the heir to the Black family as well through my godfather. I don't need nor want anything this tournament could give me!"

For once it seemed she had shocked everyone into silence. Even Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall.

**xXx**

"How did you do it?" Ron asked when she returned to the common room an hour later.

Melinda looked to see her friend had waited up with Neville and Hermione. Out of her three friends only Neville looked as calm and Neville-like as he always did. Ron looked as if she'd killed his mother and Hermione seemed to be struggling with her emotions, and her pride.

_Great_, Melinda thought, she'd have to deal with them now.

_::Mistress, I could give them a scare if you wish? Just so we could get past and to bed. You need your rest if we are going to tackle this tournament.::_ Sesha said and Melinda was tempted but shook her head.

_::No Sesha, I have to get this over with.::_ she replied and then walked over to her friends.

"Do what?" Melinda asked.

"Get your name into the cup," Ron said. "How did you do it? Why didn't you tell me, we could have joined together."

Melinda sighed in anger.

"I didn't put my name in that cup, Ronald," she snapped, her voice nearly as cold as a glacier.

"Yeah right," Ron said. "Back me up on this guys, she had to of got someone to put it in. She probably couldn't stand to let someone else have any attention."

Hermione looked caught between two decisions and Neville seemed shocked.

"If she says she didn't do it Ron," Neville began but Ron cut him off.

"You can't seriously believe her!?"

"She's our friend," Neville said. "So yes, I believe her."

"Hermione?" Ron asked and the bushy haired descendant of Athena bit her lip.

"I don't know," she said. "Logically it makes sense she did... but then..."

Melinda sighed, shaking her head. The feeling of betrayal snaking around her heart.

"Whatever. You two can talk to me when you realize how stupid you're being," Melinda said. "Thank you for sticking up for me Nev."

With that said Melinda turned and stormed up to the girls dorm and to bed.


	17. The Years Before: Year Four V

**AN: Okay, the last part of Year Four. It's..well it's around 32 pages long so I hope you enjoy it. I am sorry it took so long to finish fourth year but it is one of the longer more eventful years. I also glossed over some things, but you can imagine that some things that aren't mentioned most likely happened as they did in canon. The main reason for this is so we can move on. I really want to get a move on year five, which I am determined to keep to three or two parts if I can.  
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**As you can see I am very eager to get us to Camp Half-Blood. But hopefully you all enjoy the story leading up to that. It has taken much longer then I first thought.  
**

**Now, please enjoy this chapter and R&R!  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 17: The Years Before: Year Four V.**

When Saturday came Melinda met Cedric at seven in the library. She hadn't talked to Ron or Hermione since Halloween night, Thursday. All of Friday she made a point of staying away from them, sitting with Neville as long as the two weren't to close to them. Other times she'd sit with the person farthest from them. In Potions that turned out to be Parkinson, much to the pug faced Slytherins and her own disgust.

"So they're not talking to you?" Cedric asked as they worked.

She sighed.

"More like... we're not talking to each other," she clarified, looking up from her Transfiguration essay. "It's stupid. Everyone pretty much known me for four years now, when have I ever showed a desire for attention seeking?"

Cedric gave her a understanding look.

"I don't know Mel," he said. "Maybe you should talk to them. I've seen Hermione around, she looks pretty miserable."

She bit her lip. She didn't really want to admit it but she missed Hermione as well.

"He's right you know," a accented voice spoke.

Melinda and Cedric turned towards the source to find Dasha standing there in her cloak and a dark shirt and skinny jeans. They both looked muggle based so she figured Dasha must not be a Pureblood, or maybe Greece wasn't as stuck in the old Pureblood, Half-Blood, Muggle-Born phase.

"Dasha right?" Melinda inquired holding out her hand. "I'm Melinda, but I think you already knew that."

The dark haired Greek Student smiled slightly and shook the offered hand.

"Why don't you sit down Dash." Cedric motioned to the empty chair.

Dasha glared, what appeared to be playfully.

"It's Dasha, Cedric, not Dash," she said and Cedric grinned.

"Nicknames are important," he countered and the foreign girl rolled her eyes.

Melinda looked between the two, almost feeling like a third wheel. If she wasn't already aware Cedric was dating the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang, she'd wonder if Dasha and Cedric were dating instead.

"How do you two know each other?" Melinda asked.

The two older students exchanged looks, almost of panic and then Dasha answered.

"Camp. We go to the same summer camp."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "In Greece?"

Cedric laughed.

"Of course not," he said. "America, my mother actually originated from there. We own a home there as well, sometimes we go stay and I began going to the camp there when I was thirteen. I met Dasha there my first summer."

"Yes, I had been there a year already when we met. My father would send me there every summer to stay with my Aunt who had moved to America when she was young. Camp was a way to keep me busy," Dasha said and Melinda frowned.

"Oh," she said, not really sure what else to say.

Sesha had told her Cedric smelled of the sun... maybe she wasn't the only Demigod in Hogwarts that was Greek after all. She had no proof though and she didn't want to cause a scene if she was wrong.

"You know, I think you're both right. I should at least talk to Hermione," Melinda finally said, nodding.

Dasha and Cedric shared a relieved look when Melinda looked back down to her essay.

That was a close one.

It was around eight when she left the library, saying goodbye to Dasha and Cedric. She'd learned Dasha was only mostly Greek, her father was actually not full Greek, but part American as well. It was one of the reasons her English was so good.

_::Sesha.::_ Melinda began as she walked towards the Great Hall, knowing breakfast didn't end till close to nine on the weekends.

_::Yes, Mistress?::_ Sesha questioned, raising her head from it's spot on her left shoulder.

_::You can smell Demigods, right?:: _

Sesha hissed hesitantly._ ::More or less. It depends, you were rather easy to smell and sense because you are so powerful. Your bloodline is strong. The bushy haired one has a scent of wisdom, but I can not tell weather of Athena or Minerva. The white haired one smells of foresight and wisdom, similar to the bushy haired one but more precise, more airy. She smells of the Norse. The fire haired one smells of blood, fire, and books. Of the Norse.:: _

Melinda bit her lip in concentration. ::And Cedric and Dasha?::

::I have not scented them like I have you or your friends. Just from a distance. The gray eyed one smells of the sun, and the girl smells of plant life. I can not be sure if this connects them as demigods unless I deliberately scented them.::

_::I see.:: _Melinda sighed.

_::You could always ask them Mistress.::_ Sesha suggested and she smiled.

_::I could but if they're not...:: _she trailed off and looked up from where her eyes dragged the ground.

To her surprise she almost rammed head on into Hermione.

"Hello," she said, holding up a napkin which held a stack of buttered toast. "I brought you this..."

Melinda sighed and accepted the toast, she hadn't realized how hungry she really was until now.

"Go for a walk with me?" Hermione asked.

Melinda nodded and they went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon walking for the lake. Melinda was happy she'd worn her scarf and winter cloak and robes, It was a strangely chilly morning, but it wasn't November so it was to be expected.

"I'm sorry for Thursday night," Hermione said. "It was stupid of me. I should have realized you didn't put your name in but I let my pride get in the way. My mom always said my pride would get the best of me one day. I didn't realize she meant so literally..."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "You finally asked her about...your godly blood?"

Hermione nodded. "It's on my mother's side. Her grandfather was the son of a demigod, turns out. A daughter of Athena, which means Athena is my great-great-great-grandmother."

"Similar with my mother and Hecate," Melinda muttered. "You see Ron?"

Hermione sighed. "At breakfast, he's not...he thinks you got your name in somehow."

"And you?" she asked, looking at one of her first ever friends, and leaned against the large tree once they stopped at the lake.

"I already apologized for being stupid, would I have done so if I didn't believe you?" Hermione asked. "You're my first and best friend Mel. I should have believed you in the beginning but... it won't happen again. No matter what I'll be here to help you."

"Thanks," Melinda said.

Hermione then looked over at the lake and shook her head. "You know, I don't think Ron truly believes you did it either. I mean, he's jealous."

"Jealous?" Melinda echoed, snorting. "Jealous of what?"

"Of your fame, the money, your life."

Melinda sneered.

"Oh, yeah my life is oh so perfect. I live with my godfathers because my parents are dead. I hardly ever see or hear from my father, who can't even visit because of my uncles and flawed laws. I grew up with abusive Muggles who kept me in a cupboard as a bedroom until my father found me and threatened them. I'm dyslexic and can barely read English because of it and I have ADHD and a horde of monsters and a evil Dark Lord out to get me. My life is a paradise!" she seethed.

Hermione stared at her friend in surprised.

"You've been holding that in for a long time, haven't you?"

Melinda breathed deeply and then smiled, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah, I think I have."

"Feel better?" Hermione asked.

Melinda nodded and answered, "Loads."

**xXx**

Monday Melinda got a Owl from Sirius.

It wasn't the best Lunch pick me up she could get, especially since the letter basically ranted on about responsibility, letting him know these sort of things instead of the daily prophet and how the hell she ended up in the situations she did.

She didn't have the answers he wanted and she was in a pretty pissed off mood the rest of the day. Potions may have been the down ward spiral which made her want to either A. Stab Snape in the throat with her Trident, or B. Curl into her bed and stay there until the end of the tournament.

Unfortunately neither of those options were open seeing as option 'A' led to painful detentions, and possible Azkaban cells. While option 'B' led to the magic being ripped from her body and most likely killing her.

Though before all that she'd wanted nothing more then to punch both Draco and Parkinson in the face. Draco like Hermione had pride, maybe too much of it. If the boy were a demigod he'd have probably fallen on his own sword before he was eighteen from to much Hubris. Then again, he could be petty and jealous as well.

It seemed this whole tournament business was doing a marvelous job of turning her friends against her. Only Cedric, Luna, Ginny, Neville, Hermione (and that was recent), Daphne and Astoria stayed true. The twins as well, thankfully. She really liked Fred, and didn't want him to think she was anything the rumors said she was.

The fight outside the potions classroom ended with Parkinson sporting boils and Hermione with her front teeth sized to her chin. Like a beaver but longer. She'd never tell Hermione that though, her friend was already so insecure about her hair and front teeth – so much so she'd gotten her teeth fixed by magic in their third year.

"Antidotes," Snape began after giving her and Ron detentions.

It seemed his weariness of her had warn off by now. It was the first detention he'd given her since the start of term. His black gaze pierced through each of them and she just stared back at him in annoyance.

She would admit at least to herself that she spent the time glaring at him picturing terrible things befalling him. If only she'd known how to do the Cruciatus Curse... she'd have him twitching more then the spider had when Moody had shown them.

Snape rambled on about their recipes or something and then his eyes caught hers and for a moment she was sure he was going to poison her. She twitched, but said nothing, she needed to learn to calm her temper or it would get her killed one day.

"Ms. Potter – " Whatever Snape was going to say was cut off by a knock at the door and then it opening.

"Sorry," Collin Creevey began, looking about ready to pee his pants. "Uh – sorry but they need Melinda upstairs."

Snape's eyes turned sub-zero in their coldness.

"Ms. Potter has Potions right now, she will go upstairs on her own time. Not mine."

"Sir, all Champions must come -" Collin stumbled over his words.

"Very well," Snape spat. "Potter!"

Melinda wouldn't admit that she jumped slightly. "Yes sir?"

Snape glowered at her. "Get out my sight."

Melinda didn't need to be told twice. She gathered her bag together and dashed out of the room, dragging a petrified Collin along with her.

Ten minutes later she had suffered through a interview with some woman with too much make-up, Rita Skeeter. And been forced in a room with four other champions, two of which were still a little frosty towards her. She hoped that didn't last long, she didn't want Viktor or Fleur as enemies.

She dreaded the next issue of the prophet though.

The last part of the meeting was when Dumbledore arrived with Mr. Ollivander. She hadn't seen the old wand maker sense her second year when she'd gone with the Weasley's to buy Ginny's wand which she'd bought for the girl, a late birthday present.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander to everyone?" Dumbledore said as he entered, taking his place at the judges table. "Mr. Ollivander will be making sure your wands are in good condition before the tournament. To make sure we don't have any unwanted complications and injuries."

"Mademoiselle Delacour, would you like to go first?" inquired Ollivander.

The French student gracefully strode to the middle of the room where Ollivander waited,. Melinda had recently learned the girl was Half Veela. She didn't know much about Veela's but she knew they were woman with great allure and beauty. Even the Half Veela's.

"Hmm..." he began, taking the wand from Fleur.

He twirled the wand between his hands and then hmm'd again. The wand emitted sparks of light blue, pink and gold before he nodded.

"Excellent wand, wonderful condition," he finally said. "nine and a half inches...inflexible...rosewood...and containing...oh, how unusual..."

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a veela," Fleur said proudly. "One of my own grandmuzzer's. Custom made for me on my tenth birthday."

Definitely part veela, Melinda said.

"Yes," said Mr. Ollivander, "A very good match, very temperamental but I think for a person of your heritage and grace it is the perfect match."

Mr. Ollivander flicked the wand, muttering, "Orchideous!" and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip.

"Very good, a fine working wand," Ollivander said, gathering the flowers and handing them to Fleur along with her wand. "Now, Mr. Diggory, you next, if you'll please."

"Ah, I'd remember this wand. One of mine, isn't it?" Ollivander said, smiling fondly, as Cedric handed over his wand. "Yes, a splendid wand. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn...Twelve and a quarter inches...ash...pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition...You treat it regularly I assume?"

"Nearly three times a week. Polished it last night, sir," Cedric said, grinning.

Melinda was surprised someone would spend that much free time taking care of their wand. She herself hardly found time to do it once a week. Her own wand never seemed to attract things like finger prints though, maybe because of the wand cores themselves. Fire and water... it was hard to be for sure really.

Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver sparks from Cedric's wand and then nodded.

"Ms. Markos, you next," he announced and Dasha walked forward, handing over a dark wand to the man.

He examined it, humming every now and then.

"Splendid workmanship. A wand of Gravari's, very unusual." Ollivander began, placing his ear close to the shaft of the wand before pulling away.

"A feather from a young Griffin, interlaced with a wild flower. Yes, Gravari was always unique with his wand cores. 12 ¾ inches... hmm...Acacia wood – rare indeed. Temperamental yet most likely perfect for you Ms. Markos if this was match to you. Acacia has the tendency to only work for their masters, even after being won from the wizard or witch in a fair duel."

With that he flicked the wand and it coughed out green sparks but when the wand was give back to Dasha the wand spat out a rainbow of spark which formed a flower in mid air.

"Like I said, temperamental," Ollivander said and then motioned to Krum who had been rather sulky the whole time they'd been here. "Mr. Krum, you'll be next."

Viktor got up and walked over, looking rather out of place for once. She thought he probably had experience with this but maybe he wasn't the arrogant boy he'd seemed. Maybe they had more in common then Melinda first thought.

"Hmm," Ollivander began, "a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm mistaken? I don't believe I am though, a fine wand-maker, though a style all his own..."

He lifted the wand and examined it.

"Hornbeam and dragon heartstring?" he inquired of Krum, who nodded. "a bit thicker than one usually sees for such a wand...quite rigid...ten and a quarter inches...Avis!"

The hornbeam wand let out a number of small, twittering birds which flew around the room, mainly around Melinda, Fleur and Dasha before flying out the open window.

"Which leaves us with...Ms. Potter."

Melinda got to her feet and walked over, and handed her wand to Ollivander.

"Yes," Ollivander said, his pale eyes suddenly alight with excitement. "I remember this wand well."

Melinda could remember too.

The summer she'd come to get her wand, the way it had reacted and the fact he'd had to add another core to make it perfect for her. A core which almost immediately would drawl attention and questions, which marked her as a demigod. Nereid hair and Phoenix feather...the wand was still the brother to Lord Voldemort's wand.

She really hoped that wasn't brought up. Looking over at Skeeter she knew if that got out the woman's quill would light up like a fire to write it in the next issue of the daily prophet. For a moment she wondered if she could sure for slandering if it ever happened? She'd ask Sirius, he was raised a Pureblood, he'd know for sure.

Ollivander spent longer examining Melinda's wand, more so then anyone's elses. He examined it from the elegant wave like handle to the tip of it's dark holly wood which had a sea blue colored tint to it. In the sunlight the wand looked like a shimmering dark ocean.

Eventually he nodded, and he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, before he handed it back to Melinda, announcing that it was still in pristine condition.

"Yes, Holly... 11 inches... Phoenix feather woven with a single mermaid hair," he said, winking at her when he spoke the core.

She smiled, he knew and she knew the hair was actually from a Nereid, but to announce such a thing so publicly. It was best for everyone to believe it was from a mermaid.

"Thank you all for coming," Dumbledore said, standing up. "You may go back to your lessons, though I'd suggest heading straight to dinner seeing as classes are about to end."

Everyone was about to get up to leave, when Bagman stood with a large grin on his face.

"Photos, Dumbledore, we mustn't forget the photos!" Bagman said excitedly. "All the judges and champions , to make this day as memorable as possible. The beginning of the Triwizard tournament. Rita?"

"Yes, let's do those first, I suppose," Rita Skeeter said, her eyes roving over the five Champions. "And then some individual shots of course."

The photographs took longer then Melinda would have liked. Rita was determined to get her film worth. First the Champions with the judges, which took the longest because of Madame Maxime's height. Eventually she had to sit down while everyone else stood.

Rita was also determined to place the girls in the front. Melinda in between Dasha and Fleur. The boys on either side of Dasha and Fleur. Then the solo photos, which she noticed Rita had her focused on the most. Finally it was over, and she breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Melinda was more then happy as she walked down to dinner with the other Champions. Even Fleur and Krum seemed to have cooled off to her a little. She figured it would take a while before the whole, Potter Stinks, thing wound down.

Hermione wasn't there when she arrived, so she sat with the twins, far away from Ron as she could get.

"So, how was it Mel?" George asked, a few moments after she sat down.

"What?" she asked, cutting into her turkey.

"The wand weighing, the photos," George clarified, grinning.

Melinda sighed. "You two know I didn't enter right?"

George and Fred exchanged looks and with serious faces nodded.

"Of course Lin," Fred said, placing a loose arm around her. "It painfully obvious it wasn't you. The look on your face when your name was called gave that away pretty easily. Besides, you're gonna need your friends one this. If you need help, you know where to find us."

Melinda smiled at Fred, and nodded.

She was happy that most her friends believed in her. Now all she needed to do was get Draco to pull his head out of his ass and wait for Ron to pull the crap out of his ears and realize he was being a ignorant jealous prat.

**xXx**

The next few weeks were more then enough to make Melinda want to start pulling her hair out.

The knowledge she was now in a position to be killed painfully in a tournament meant for someone with far more knowledge then a fourth year finally hitting her the night after the wand weighing. She'd gotten a owl from Sirius and Remus after dinner on the night of the wand weighing.

They wanted to talk to her face to face, so they had made a time to come on the 22nd of November. It was unusual for guardians or parents to come to the school but apparently Dumbledore owed them a favor and since she was a minor in a tournament for adults Sirius and Remus were allowed to come see her at least once before the tasks began.

Then there was Rita's article. When she'd read it she'd wanted nothing more then to track the witch down and snap her quill in half and shove it were the sun never shines. Apparently the things she'd actually said had been twisted into things she hadn't said and the awkward silences had been creatively twisted into things she hadn't even thought.

She was also apparently finding love in Neville Longbottom, having a rough break up with Ronald Weasley, a one sided hidden/forbidden love with Draco Malfoy, getting cozy with the other Hogwarts Champion, and a rebound/affair with Ronald Weasley's older brother, which twin was undetermined.

It was enough to not only get her labeled Hogwarts slut, but annoy the crap out of her.

That around ten days ago and thankfully with help of denial from the boys mentioned and her own threats to those who were brave enough to bring it up, the rumors had pretty much died with that article of the prophet. That didn't stop some of the concerned parents sending mail to her advising her to not spread herself around so young.

Yeah, she was going to have to do something about Rita.

"This fight between you and Ron..." Neville began but was interrupted by Hermione.

"Feud," she corrected. "This is more of a feud then a fight."

Neville nodded, and flipped the page of his Herbology book. The one Moody had given him Melinda realized. Recently she'd been spending a lot of her time in the Library. Both for class work and to keep away from Ron. It was unusual to see him in here willingly.

"Right," Neville said. "This feud is getting old. Why can't you two just admit you're both wrong."

Melinda gasped. "Wrong? What did I do? He's the one who called me a liar."

Neville sighed.

"You're right," Hermione said. "But sometimes the right thing to do is the wrong thing, and the the wrong thing is the right thing."

"Huh?" Melinda asked.

Hermione sighed. "Just think on it. We all know you miss him."

Melinda's eyes narrowed. "I do not miss him."

Maybe a little, she admitted to herself.

On the Saturday before the first task there was a Hogsmeade weekend for the third years and up. She was more then happy to get out of the school for the day, and spent it with Hermione, Neville and the twins. Awkwardly she did end up running into Ron, but the boy seemed less then happy to see her and more then happy to be spending time with Dean and Seamus.

It ended in glaring matches until the twins finally pulled her away, leaving Neville and Hermione to talk to Ron. She briefly wondered what her two friends were trying to do but when George walked off with Angelina and she was left with Fred she forgot about them pretty quickly.

When everyone was heading back at one o'clock, she walked with Fred.

"Great weather today huh?"

Melinda looked at the taller redhead with amusement.

"You're going to talk to me about the weather?" she asked. "Personally I think it's kind of cold."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, but I thought you liked the cold?"

Melinda hmm'd. "Sometimes. I guess it's not so bad right now."

She smiled at him and he smiled back. They continued to talk until they reached the castle. In the entrance hall Melinda stopped short, and nearly kicked herself for forgetting that Sirius and Remus would be there at twelve. It was the 22nd of November, wasn't it?

"Have a good time?" Remus asked, looking between her and Fred.

She noticed from the corner of her eyes Sirius giving Fred a long look, possibly a slight evil eye. She sighed, and flushed.

"I uh... I should go," Fred said and handed her a bag which held some of the things she'd bought on the trip. Mostly candy from Honeydukes and some other small things, like ink, parchment and a new scarf. "I'll see you around Lin."

She watched him walk away and then turned back to her guardians with a slightly annoyed look, her lips pursed.

"Sirius, stop that!" she snapped. "And yes, I did."

"Are you dating him?" Sirius asked suddenly and she felt her face burn redder then a Weasley's hair.

"Sirius!" she exclaimed. "No, we're just friends."

Sirius snorted and Remus rolled his eyes, slapping Sirius over the back of the head.

"Ignore him Mel," Remus said and offered his arm. "Let's find somewhere to talk."

She took the offered appendage and they walked to a empty classroom. She sat on top of one of the desktops and Remus and Sirius did the same in front of her.

"Before we say anything, we have to know. Did you put your name in the Goblet, or let someone else help you get it in?" Sirius asked.

Melinda sighed. "No, I swear on the River Styx, I didn't put my name in that Goblet."

There was a rumble of thunder and the two wizards paled slightly. They were still rather new to this whole demigod world their goddaughter lived in.

"We believe you," Remus said. "This is dangerous Mel."

Melinda scoffed. "Tell me about it."

"People die in this tournament," Sirius said, for once his gray eyes were completely serious. There was no an ounce of mischief or amusement. "If you didn't put your name in, and I know you didn't, then it had to be someone else. Someone with enough access on the inside."

"Like a judge?" Melinda suggested and Remus and Sirius looked at each other before turning back to her.

"It's a possibility," Remus admitted.

"But they don't have a clear motive. But Karkaroff -"

Melinda cut Sirius off. "Karkaroff, the Durmstrang Headmaster?"

Sirius nodded. "Yes, he was a Death Eater. Still is, you don't just stop being a Death Eater."

Melinda bit her lip.

"We wanted to warn you about that," Remus said. "We don't trust him, and you shouldn't either."

Melinda nodded. "I understand. Do you know what the first task is?"

"Even if we did we couldn't tell you," Remus answered. "It's cheating."

Sirius snorted. "Cheating is a time honored norm for the tournament," he countered. "But we don't know. Dumbledore said the Champions would all know tomorrow."

Melinda sighed. "Okay."

Melinda went on to tell them about her dreams, and they took it pretty well considering. Well, besides the yelling and scolding because she hadn't told them when she'd had them.

She made a point to at least mention her dreams involving Voldemort to them in the future just to avoid the headache. An hour later Sirius and Remus left and Melinda went on to dinner.

Tomorrow at five o'clock, the First Task would begin.

**xXx**

**The First Task:**

**November 23rd 2003.**

"Now, Champions," Dumbledore began.

The five Champions all stood in front of the Judges on a deck like area. There was stand behind them, and in front of them was a large enclosed area of the forbidden forest. You could barely see the shimmering of a large dome like force field keeping them in and creatures too dangerous out.

"The first task comes to us from Headmistress Angelis herself. The task are thought of and suggested by the School Headmaster or Headmistresses. Seeing as this is her suggested task I shall allow her to explain," he finished and motioned for the blonde Headmistress of Arcadia to begin.

She cleared her throat. "The first task is to capture – dead or alive – the Golden Hind of Artemis."

Melinda's eyebrows shot up and there were many whispers from the stands and from the Champions. She hardly noticed Dasha and Cedric stiffen.

"For those who do not know mythology, seeing as many magical communities besides Greece feel it to be a Muggle belief and story. Artemis was the Greek goddess of the Hunt, and the moon later in life. She was a Virgin goddess, and patron for female children and many other things. She held a sacred animal, as many gods and goddesses do. Her was the Golden Hind, or the golden stag. It is said they also pulled her chariot, but one was left to roam. Supposedly, many have tried to catch it and have failed."

Headmistress Angelis stopped and looked the Champions over.

"I personally believe the Golden Hind exists, but unfortunately we do not have the true Golden Hind. We simply have a large stag with a charm to appear golden and to be faster then a regular stag. Around the stags neck is the clue to the next task, that is your objective," she explained.

"How are we going to do this exactly?" Cedric asked.

"That is simple. A large chunk of the forbidden forest has been encased in a dome to keep you in and dangerous creatures we have not released into it out. There are five deer, one for each of you but only one will be released at a time. You must fight each other for the deer. First come first serve I think is a saying used by some." She smiled, her blue eyes pale and wise.

"The task will be unlike the others as you will be camping over night in the forest. This is not just a task for the stag but on survival. You may only have the clothes on your back, your wand and a weapon we judges will assign you. The weapon is real, it is dangerous and can kill. This is so you have other means then magic to capture your stag, seeing as the stag has many charms to make it resistant just as a true Golden Hind would be. It also helps with the fight between each other."

"Are we really zupozed to fight each other?" Fleur asked.

"There will only be one deer released at once. So yes, you would have to fight each other for it. The deer is to be captures dead or alive, just as long as you get the clue around it's neck." Angelis then looked stern.

"Under no circumstance is there to be any killing of each other. These weapons are for your protection and the stag only. We do not expect you to not have injured one of the champions with them as you will be pit up against each other. But if you kill anyone with them you will be disqualified and taken to the Ministry for questioning. Accidents happen but murder is not one of them."

"So in other words, we can maim each other in a non-permanent way but we can't kill each other," Dasha said and Angelis nodded.

"More or less, yes," she said. "The task beings as soon as the whistle is blown. It will end at five tomorrow or as soon as the last Champion has their clue."

"With that said," Dumbledore began, clapping his hands together. "We shall give you your...weapons."

It was clear Dumbledore wasn't exactly keen on the idea that they received weapons. The other judges seemed to have no qualms about it.

The Five Champions stepped forward and a cloth was removed from a table in front of the judges. On it were a variety of weapons. She wished she could use Tachýs, but she knew the rules. Nothing but your wand, not even jewelry was permitted. It was the reason her necklace (the pearl), Tachýs and Abyss were not on her person but with Hermione along with Sesha.

"First to enter the forest will be Cedric Diggory," Dumbledore said, and Cedric walked forward.

Dumbledore picked up a dagger, probably of medieval origins as it reminded her of a mini Excalibur.

"You're weapon is a dagger, please remember to not kill your fellow Champions with it. Once the task is over the weapons are yours to keep. A spoil of war, as Madam Angelis puts it."

Cedric nodded, taking the dagger from Dumbledore and then with one last glance at the stands and the other Champions he took off at a fast jog through the force field and into the forest.

"Now, Viktor Krum," Dumbledore said and Viktor followed Cedric's example. "The hook-spear. The same rules apply to you that I spoke for Mr. Diggory."

Viktor took the spear, with had a silver spear head with a smaller hooked area close to the base. Probably why it was called a hook-spear. Once he was passed the force field and into the forest Dumbledore continued.

"Fleur Delacour." Fleur hesitated for a moment before walking forward.

This time Dumbledore held up to sheathed white handled knives, hunting knives from what Melinda could tell. One had a stalking panther carved into the handle, the other a flower of some sort. They suited Fleur, she thought.

"For you, two hunting knives. The same rules also apply to you Mademoiselle," Dumbledore said and she took the knives. She fastened them to her side and then took off through the force field and into the forest.

"Dasha Markos," he continued. Dasha didn't hesitate as she walked forward. This time he held up a quiver full of arrows and a long wooden bow.

"For you a bow and arrows. Please be aware the same rules apply to you as the others," he said and she nodded, taking the bow and slinging the quiver on like she'd done it before and shouldering the bow before taking off into the forest.

"And lastly, Melinda Potter."

Melinda stepped forward and was a little weary of the last weapon left.

She had experience with other weapons, but she was mostly comfortable with spears, tridents, and swords. Even daggers, but she'd never wielding a scythe or sickle before. She didn't think many demigods did, it reminded them to much of what they were taught about Kronos.

She did admit the weapon Dumbledore held was pretty wicked looking. It was a sickle, not exactly long or tall enough to be a scythe. Similar to the kind you'd use for agriculture but it was definitely a weapon. It had a gleaming silver crescent moon like blade and a golden handle which looked like a dragons head – sort of. It was some sort of reptile.

"The sickle," Dumbledore said and handled it to her. "Like the others, the same rules apply."

"I was hesitant to allow these weapons Melinda, mostly because of your safety. Be aware you do not have to attempt to use this weapon at all," he whispered as she took it. Only they could hear the whispered words, she knew that.

He obviously thought her to young or unable to handle a weapon. How shocked he'd be to find out she was very good with weapons. Even if the ones she owned wouldn't harm a mortal.

Nodding, Melinda turned and darted off into the forest. She knew this would be a long night.

**xXx**

Melinda wasn't the best hunter, or tracker.

The forest was somewhere she'd only been about three times. And the part which was being used she wasn't all that familiar with. Her wand was in the hostler on her right arm, and the sickle was in her right hand. It was her only weapon besides her wand and she didn't think she'd have enough spell knowledge to defend herself without it.

She'd been moving through the forest as quietly as she could, and had nearly spotted the golden stag but of course she'd end up loosing it. Headmistress Angelis had not been joking about how fast it was now with the added charms.

It was becoming rather dark, though there were artificial light above them. Probably some spell done by the judges, so it wasn't that hard to see. Strangely enough she'd only seen Fleur once in the last two and half hours.

She turned sharply at the sound of grazing, and stared at the golden stag about ten feet away from her. It looked like what she thought one of Artemis' sacred animals would look like but it was obliviously all charmed. With slow steps, making sure to step softly so her boots wouldn't make much noise she slid her Sickle into her left hand and released her wand into her right.

She really didn't want to kill the stag.

"Please work..." she muttered. "Stupefy!"

The spell had been learned over the summer with the help of Sirius and Remus, just in case she ever got into a sticky situation which Tachýs and Abyss wouldn't help in. Her eyes widened as the spell sped towards the stag and the air next to her shifted so sharply she had to spin and lean back as a spear head came close to where her shoulder had once been.

"No hard feelings Potter," Krum said as she turned the rest of the way and faced the older boy.

He had his spear at the ready, and she took notice that the stunning spell had no effect on the stag which hadn't even seemed to notice. "That stag is mine."

He lunged with the spear and she raised her Sickle, catching the head of the spear, which wasn't as easy with her left hand as it would have been with her right. She fired off a stunning spell at Krum but he side stepped it and spun, sweeping the spear blade towards her head, which she ducked. Seeing her opening she lunged forward with her Sickle.

She used it similar to how she'd use a dagger, but with more sword like movements as she slashed, jabbed and twisted. Just as Krum had gotten past her defense and managed to cut a small gash into her right arm the stag noticed all the commotion – how it hadn't before was beyond her – and like a deer caught in the headlights it darted.

"You fight well," Krum sneered in his annoyance and then took off after the deer.

She noticed the small cuts on his cheek and arm from where she'd gotten lucky and managed to cut him with her own sickle were bleeding slowly. Her wound was a bit more severe then his though.

_**OINK!**_

Melinda blinked, and turned.

A flying pig...a monstrous flying pig.

Melinda knew instantly this was no forest creature and if it was she wondered if they knew they harbored Greek monsters which were very dangerous, more so to demigods then witches and wizards?

Probably not.

"Good piggy," she tried and it just snorted angrily. "I wonder if mortal weapons will hurt you?"

It was the only weapon she had so she better at least try. The pig charged and she moved to the side, out of the way. When it was a few feet in the air and looking around for her she placed her wand in it's hostler and put her Sickle in her right hand before charging. It was stupid but ti was the only plan she had.

She slashed, the sickle taring into the pigs side but it didn't look to be to effective. It seemed to just piss the pig off.

"Oh...crap," Melinda swore and with concentration she thrust her hand out as it flew towards her.

The effect was almost instant. A small shockwave like energy left her hand and threw the pig into the tree behind it, nearly splintering the tree (though not enough to break it).

The pig recovered and flew back towards her and she cursed and jumped backwards, using her Sickle to slash and cut at the pig which whined in pain and anger. She wasn't sure if this mortal weapon would be able to kill it and she was tired from using so much energy already. She had been practicing her powers from Hecate in there simplest form, meaning the shockwave form of Telekinesis which had saved her life in the past tired her out more.

Finally the pig got the better of her and basically kicked her in the chest, sending her onto her back. Whatever it planed next she never found out seeing as an arrowed was shot from the woods beside her and lodged into it's side before glowing gold and combusting. The monster disintegrated into a shower of gold dust.

Melinda turned her head to see Cedric and Dasha exiting the area, Dasha had fired the arrow, but the arrow had not been like the normal ones on her back. It was then she realized she had a selection of gold arrows as well.

"You're demigods, aren't you?" Melinda asked and the two other Champions eyes widened.

"How do you know that?" Dasha asked, her bow ready to be strung at a moment notice.

Melinda stood up and winced slightly. "You saw me throw that pig into that tree...how do you think I know?"

Cedric stared at his younger friend in surprise and then he smiled. "You're a demigod as well."

"Bingo," Melinda said, smiling. "My father is one of the gods. My biological ones that is."

Dasha blinked and then spoke, her words coming out in Ancient Greek which after a few moments simply sounded English as they translated in her mind.

"How can we trust you?"

Melinda smiled. "How can I trust you with my parentage? If anyone finds out who my father is before the right time...I'd be in danger. More then I already am in with monsters."

She'd spoken in Ancient Greek which seemed to amuse Cedric and calm Dasha down. She didn't blame the girl for being a little paranoid.

"I'm Dasha Markos, as you know," Dasha said, holding out her hand. "Daughter of Demeter."

Cedric came next. "And I'm Cedric Diggory, as you know. Son of Apollo."

"That explains the arrows," Melinda said and the two demigods in front of her nodded.

Dasha explained, "We figured some monsters might be drawn to our scents, and monsters can get through the force field since it's built to keep us in and the creatures in the forest they know of out."

"We used a summoning charm to get my arrows when we saw you and I summoned one of Dasha's daggers for my own use," Cedric said, holding up a celestial bronze dagger which had a vine like pattern on the hilt. It was obviously Dasha's.

"Summonings charm..." Melinda sighed. "Of course. We can't take things into the task but once it begins we can use our wand for anything, even summoning things to us."

"Yep," Cedric said. "So whose daughter are you? Ares, Hermes maybe?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow at that, and scoffed. "No. If I tell you...I need you to swear on the Styx not to tell anyone else. Especially not anyone connected to our world."

"So, not Chiron or the gods," Cedric said. "You don't go to camp...do you?"

"Not yet. My father thinks it is to dangerous yet. And I have a destiny here to finish, I think. Grams isn't all that clear at times."

"Grams?" Dasha asked.

"Swear," Melinda insisted and the son of Apollo and daughter of Demeter sighed and swore on the Styx to tell no one who Melinda Potter's father was.

She nodded. "Good. I'm Melinda Potter, daughter of Poseidon. I am also a legacy of Hecate."

Cedric and Dasha's eyes widened and at that same moment bright spark were shot into the sky above the dome signaling that one of the deer had been caught. They were red so she knew it must have been Krum seeing as that shade of red was a Durmstrang color.

**xXx**

Melinda camped out that night with Cedric and Dasha.

Cedric was insistent, saying that if anymore monsters came they'd have all three to fight. And that Melinda's scent was more powerful of the three of them and didn't want to leave her alone. While they sat around the small fire Cedric had helped to make – being the child of a sun god had it's perks and even if he couldn't control fire he could heat something to a temperature the wood started a fire.

They talked for a little while.

She found out that Cedric and Dasha had met at Camp Half-Blood and talked since. They told her about camp and how she'd like it once she began going. Cedric was also able to help her heal the wounds she got from fighting Krum and the pig. She'd used her wand to summon some water and used it to clean the blood off.

It was pretty late when they all fell asleep, Dasha placing a charm around them which acted like a Muggle alarm system. If anything dangerous passed a certain point it would go off.

Thankfully nothing happen and they woke early the next morning.

"So...and alliance?" Melinda asked.

"Yeah, but we should split up to hunt. To avoid fighting over the stag if and when we find it," Dasha said as they packed up, and threw dirt over the fire which had cooked the sausages that had been left for them, probably by a house elf.

"Sounds right," Cedric said.

Melinda nodded and wished she had Tachýs once again. She could summon it but she wasn't sure she could get it from the distance.

"My weapon," Melinda began. "It takes the form of a ring, it's with Hermione. If I summoned it...will it get through the force field?"

"It should," Dasha said. "My dagger is usually a vine bracelet."

Melinda took out her wand.

"Well here goes nothing," she said and then tried the summoning charm, which she hadn't much experience with. It seemed like it hadn't worked at first but then a small ring came shooting out of the woods and into her hand.

She smiled.

"It worked!"

Dasha and Cedric smiled.

"Don't sound so surprised," Cedric laughed. "You're a pretty powerful witch, and demigod from the looks of it."

Sliding the ring onto her right hand she smiled and a few minutes later the group of demigods separated. She was a little disappointed by this but knew it was for the best. Having a son of Apollo, a daughter of Demeter, and a daughter of Poseidon in one group was just a monster waiting to happen.

The time in the forest passed. Blue spark went up about thirty minutes after they separated and she knew Fleur had caught her stag. An hour later she found one of the stags just as Cedric finish capturing it with some sort of net spell, after having injured it with his dagger – the mortal one seeing as she wasn't to sure celestial bronze worked on animals.

Cedric saw her as he sent up gold sparks and waved before taking off to the exit with his clue.

The only ones left were her and Dasha.

Nearly an hour later she was surprised when she came across the fourth golden stag. It was drinking from a spring of some sort, not exactly a lake or creek, but not deep enough to be a pond either.

Melinda began creeping forward, wishing she had her invisibility cloak but knowing she'd never be able to summon it from her locked trunk. Taking out her sickle she focused on the water for a moment and then almost like a boomerang she slung the sickle at the stag. It wasn't meant to kill it, just cripple it.

It missed the deers leg though, and cut a gash in it's side before she used her magic to make it come back to her like a real boomerang. She caught it as the deer whined and turned to run. It was bleeding and she felt terrible for that, but she hadn't much choice really.

Thrusting her left hand out at the water it began to move and then she swung her palm towards the deer and the water formed a sphere around the deer. She willed the deer to be able to breath after a moment and the deer had passed out from being unable to breath.

The deer lay in a pool of water and she moved forward, first placing a hand at it's pulse to make sure it was still alive. It was rather faint she realized. Her hands went to her neck for her pearl only to find it gone. She sighed and then pulled out her wand.

"Accio Pearl!" she said, imagining her necklace. She hoped it would work.

Not only that but the pearl on an animal. Her father had never said it wouldn't work on animals. The pearl arrived in her hands a minute later and she dangled it over the deers side which was bleeding from the sickle wound.

The water fell and landed with a slight shimmer and glow. It took a minute or so but the wound closed up, and Melinda used the water around the deer to wash away the blood. It would look weird if it had blood on it's fur but no wound.

The deers breathing became steady and deep and she smiled, petting it twice before reaching around it's neck for the next clue. She blinked, it was a necklace with a pendent on the end. A scale of some sort.

Shaking her head Melinda stood up, placing the Sickle back at her waist and raising her wands.

Sending up Gryffindor red sparks.

"And the fourth to complete the task is Melinda Potter!" Dumbledore called as Melinda exited the forest and force field. There was a cheering and her friends were almost instantly there, hugging her.

"I was so worried," Hermione cried. "Tachýs and your necklace just flew off and..."

"Hermione breath," Melinda said, chuckling. "I'm fine, and I got the clue."

She held up the necklace with the scale of some sort and Hermione titled her head in confusion.

"What is that?" Neville asked.

"No idea," Melinda sighed.

She joined the other Champions soon after and waited. It was only thirty or so minutes later that silver sparks went up, signaling that Dasha had finished the task.

"The First task is complete!" Dumbledore cried, standing up. "We shall take a moment to judge the scores, after conversing with Bane."

It was then Melinda noticed the Centaur she'd only seen once before out of the forest with the judges. He must have been watching, it explained why she'd felt jumpy most the time. She gulped, had he heard her confession to Dasha and Cedric. She exchanged looks with the two demigods who had been thinking the same thing.

Then she caught Bane's eyes, and she knew he knew. She also saw that he had no plans to reveal it, from the slight nod he gave her.

Five minutes later the judges returned.

Krum was judged first having finish first; Madam Maxime gave him a seven, Mr. Crouch gave him a nine. Dumbledore gave him a eight, Bagman gave him a nine, Angelis gave him a six, and Karkaroff gave him a ten. Leaving him with a high score of forty-nine.

Fleur was scored next; Madam Maxime cast her score into the air, giving her a ten, Mr. Crouch gave her a eight, Dumbledore gave her a eight, Bagman gave her a seven, Angelis gave her a eight, and Karkaroff gave her a measly five. Leaving her close behind Krum at forty-six.

Cedric's scores were showed next; Madam Maxime end up giving him a eight, Mr. Crouch gave him a ten, Dumbledore gave him a nine, Bagman gave him a eight, Angelis gave him a ten, and Karkaroff gave him a six. Leaving him with a score of fifty-one, and in the lead.

Melinda's score came next and she straightened up to pay more attention. Madam Maxime gave her a nine, Mr. Crouch gave a nine, Dumbledore gave a nine, Bagman gave a ten, Angelis also gave a ten and Karkaroff gave a four. This meant she was tied with Cedric for first.

"I can't believe he gave you a four," she heard Hermione whisper loudly from the stands behind the Champions.

Melinda didn't care, she wasn't here for a good score or to win. She was here to survive and keep her magic.

Dasha's score was last. Madam Maxime gave her a eight, Mr. Crouch gave a eight, Dumbledore gave a nine, Bagman a nine, Angelis a ten, and Karkaroff gave a five. This left her tied with Krum for second place with forty-nine.

"Now, the next Task shall be in three months. Until then we shall all retire to the castle for the evening. All classes will resume day after tomorrow," Dumbledore announced and everyone began walking.

**xXx**

Yule ball.

Two words which would serve only to annoy her. The day before McGonagall had taken them all aside and told them about the annual Yule Ball that came with the Triwizard Tournament. That was okay, she just wouldn't go but then the news. It was mandatory for Champions.

Now she needed a crash course in dancing, thankfully that shouldn't be all that hard, a new set of dress robes (which she could order if she had to), and a date. A date of all things.

"How are we supposed to find dates?" Ron suddenly snapped.

After the first task Ron had apologized. He'd realized how dangerous it would be after seeing Krum and Fleur leave the forest with wounds. Then there was the blood stains on her own clothes and small cuts she'd received while hunting for the stag after she, Dasha and Cedric split up.

Then there was the second task. It had actually be about a week after the task he came to apologize completely, and he'd had the answer to her clue as well. It was a Dragon scale, the necklace held a dragons scale. The second task was Dragons, and it was only confirmed when Ron had disclosed the fact Charlie was getting ready to bring five dragons from Romania for the second task.

It was another week before they had gone back to normal.

"Well, you could ask someone," Melinda said, slightly sarcastic.

"How, they're always in packs," Ron grumbled. "Neville, you found a date yet?"

Neville looked over and blushed. "Uh..yeah. I asked one of the third years."

Melinda looked at him suspiciously and then shrugged.

"You could ask Luna," Melinda said. "She'd love to go."

Ron blanched. "I don't want to go with looney Mel."

Hermione scoffed. "You shouldn't call her that Ronald."

"You should hurry Ronnie-kins," Fred whispered loudly across the table.

"Or all the good ones will be gone," George finished for his twin.

Ron twitched and asked, "Really, well who are you two going with?"

George smirked. "I'm going with Angelina. Asked yesterday."

Fred blinked and then balled up a piece of paper.

While Fred was doing that and gathering his courage. Ron looked at Hermione and then at Melinda as if realizing something.

"Hey, Hermione. You and Melinda are girls, right?"

Melinda blinked, looking up from her book. It wasn't common for them to have study halls in the Great Hall but with the Tournament things had changed a little. The study halls were needed to keep everyone up on their studies.

"Well spotted Ronald," Hermione said, haughtily.

"It only took your four years," Melinda said, rolling her eyes.

"Come with one of us! It's one thing for a bloke to show up alone, but for a girl it's just sad."

Hermione practically blew smoke from her nostrils as she glared at him.

"First, Melinda is a girl if you've already forgotten." She stood and stomped over to Snape, giving him her notebook. Then she stormed back over to the table. "Second of all, I won't be going alone because believe it or not someone has asked me!"

Ron blinked. "She's lying, right?"

Melinda glowered at her friend, and shook her head.

"Doubt it."

"What about you Mel?" he asked and she opened her mouth to answer when a paper ball hit her in the shoulder.

She looked over to see Fred smiling at her.

"What?" she whispered across, speaking slowly to make sure he'd understand even if he couldn't hear her.

She noted Snape was close by which was probably why he began acting out his motions as he mouthed words.

"Will you go to the ball with me?" the words weren't spoken allowed but she knew what the motions and words he mouthed were.

She grinned. Nodded happily and then turned back to Ron, standing up.

The redheaded boy was staring with his mouth wide open.

"Sorry Ron, I'm already going with Fred," she turned, handing her notebook to Snape who was almost directly behind her on his stroll to make sure no one was talking. "You might want to close your mouth Ron. It'll attract flies."

With that she turned and left.

"Better luck next time Ron," George said, and Ron grumbled.

The ball was on Christmas Eve, December 24th and it came quicker then she'd expected. She was nervous, she'd never been on a date before. She was pretty sure this was a date, but what if she was wrong? What if Fred had just asked her as a friend and she'd misunderstood?

"Lin, you're hyperventilating," Hermione said, placing a hand on her friends shoulder as they got ready in the now empty girls bathroom.

Melinda took a deep breath.

Hermione was pretty much ready. She wore a pretty periwinkle blue dress and her hair was neat, having taken special care to tame it and curled slightly and placed in a twist on her head. She didn't wear much make-up, and had matching shoes with slight high heels on her feet.

"No I'm not," she replied and Hermione chuckled.

Melinda was wearing a sky blue dress which had floaty layers and looked almost Greek in inspiration to Hermione. It had only one shoulder strap and left the other arm bare. Made of lace at the chest area, like a small shawl draped over the softer fabric. It was ankle length and on her feet were high heels in the same color as her dress. The only jewelry she wore was Abyss on her left wrist, Tachýs on her right middle finger and her pearl necklace.

Her hair was left down, and cascades to her butt in ringlets of tight, loose curls. A bit was pulled back on the left side by her hair clip from last Christmas from her father. It's seahorse design standing out slightly in her dark hair.

"You look great," Hermione said and Melinda smiled.

"Thanks you too," she said. "Come on."

The two girls left together and descended the stairs together. At the bottom they saw many waiting around, and they spotted Ron with his date, Padma at the bottom. Why they still stood there was beyond her. She had asked Padma for the favor of letting Ron take her to the Yule Ball, despite knowing the girl didn't want to go with Ron.

"Wow," she heard Padma muttered. "They're beautiful."

"Huh?" Ron turned and his eyes widened at the sight of his two best friends descending the stair case.

Hermione on the left and Melinda on the right. As if by magic Krum appeared on Hermione's side of the stair case and Fred on Melinda's.

"My Lady," Fred said, and took her hand, kissing the back of it.

"Smooth," Melinda said, smiling, a slight flush on her cheeks.

Fred grinned. "I try."

Melinda grinned back and hooked elbows with Fred, and they walked past to where the Champions stood ready to enter to lead the first dance. That had been a nasty shock to her, and if not for her meetings with Cedric and Dasha to compare notes about the tournament, she'd have never known they were expected to lead the school with the first dance.

It had been them who helped her learn to dance as well. At least she didn't have to worry about stepping on Fred's feet.

The ball started with the first dance, something which wasn't as bad as she'd thought. Fred was a great dancer, as he proved through a few more songs and she wasn't as terrible as she'd feared either. It helped that Fred was patient with her when she stumbled.

"Great night huh?" Fred asked, handing her a cup of punch.

She accepted it. The ball had been going on for hours now.

Not to many surprise Crabbe and Goyle had no dates. Pansy Parkinson actually came with Blaise Zabini, to many surprise. Draco was the shock of the ball, he came with Luna Lovegood.

She had smiled at both, waving encouragingly.

Her and Draco had made up not long ago. He'd admitted to being a ignorant ignoramus, and that it was painfully obvious after the first task that she hadn't gotten her self into the tournament.

They hadn't reconciled completely but being as busy as she was with the stupid tournament meant letting go of things like that. In other words it was like the argument had never really happened.

Neville was there with Ginny, whom he tended to blush around. They seemed to be enjoying each others company.

"Best night I've had in a long time," she admitted.

"Good. So...I uh..." Fred cleared his throat, and looked as if he was trying to figure out his own words. "I really like you Lin."

Melinda flushed, smiling. "I like you too."

Fred smiled. "Good, this makes it easier. Uh...will uh..you be my girlfriend?"

Melinda smiled. "You know I come with a lot of baggage?"

Fred smirked. "I know, and I like you and your baggage too."

"Well then, I'd love to be your girlfriend." Fred grinned.

The rest of the night would definitely go down as one of the most memorable. Both for it was the night she began dating Fred Weasley, but also because of the fight which occurred between Ron and Hermione.

She wasn't to sure those two would ever get along completely.

**xXx**

Time flew by. The second task came much quicker then she wanted (February 24th).

It turned out just as she'd feared, Dragons. Fleur pulled the Welsh Green from the bag, Cedric got the Swedish Short-Snout, Viktor grabbed the Chinese Fireball, Dasha got the Peruvian Vipertooth (which if she remembered had a nasty history of liking human flesh), and she was unlucky enough to grab the Hungarian Horntail.

The task lasted until each Champion had got past their Dragon alive and managed to grab the golden egg. The egg which held the next clue. In the end she'd learned a few things.

Dragon's did not listen to Parseltongue, they breathed deadly fire which hurt when hit with it, and they had ways to claw you. Her shoulder would probably always bare two scars from the dragon claws. Thankfully the slight burns on her left arm and back would heal completely.

She'd ended up getting her egg by summoning her firebolt. Then a chase had ensued when the Hungarian Horntail had proven powerful enough to break her chains. She wondered then just how different dragons were from drakons then, she had a feeling the drakon was more deadly then their dragon relatives.

In the end she'd scored a forty, and tied with Krum for first place. Cedric got thirty-five, Dasha got thirty-nine and Fleur received thirty-four. After that they'd all be practically pushed into the Hospital tent for healing.

The Third task by far had to be the easiest in her mind.

Finding out what the task was, not so much. But with help from Cedric she'd figured it out, there were merpeople in the lake. That wasn't that surprising. She'd thought she'd seen some last Christmas while exploring with her father. The problem was trying to figure out how to fool people into believing she wasn't just breathing under water by her own lungs.

The answer came from Hermione and Luna.

Luna suggested becoming a mermaid without her legs, and Hermione suggested some sort of transfiguration or illusion. Neville suggested Gillyweed but she didn't want to chance the plant interacting badly with her seeing as she could already breathe underwater.

She found a spell in March. The spell would transfigure her lower body into that of a fish tail, like the merpeople, or like mermaids you'd see on TV. The illusion would make it look like she was using the bubble-head charm when in reality she was not.

"You're ready for this?" Fred asked the night before the third task. Him, Neville, Ron, and Hermione had been helping her look over everything one last time.

Melinda closed the book, nodding. "Yeah, I think so."

Fred smiled, though a bit of worry was clear in his blue eyes. He leaned down, placing a light kiss against her lips. It was quick, chaste really, but it was enough for Ron to begin gagging theatrically.

Fred and Melinda both glared at the youngest Weasley brother.

"Potter, Weasley, Weasley, Longbottom, Granger," a gruff voice interrupted them and they turned to find Moody.

"Hello Professor," Hermione said, nodding.

"Figuring out your task I see. Good," he grunted. "McGonagall wishes to see you in her office."

Everyone went to get up but Moody stopped them.

"Not you, Longbottom, Potter. Just those three," he said.

"But professor, the third task is only hours away!" Hermione argued despite having a plan.

"That it is. What Potter really needs now though is some rest." Moody nodding his head in a motion that clearly dismissed them.

Once they were gone the Professor looked at the two remaining and nodded. "Longbottom, help Potter put her books away."

Melinda sighed.

"If I ever find out who entered me into this tournament," she began, looking at Neville. "I'm gonna I'm gonna shove a spell where the sun don't shine."

Neville laughed.

"That sounds painful."

Melinda smirked. "Depends on what type of spell."

Neville blinked and then scrunched his nose up. "Ew, Mel. You've been hanging around Fred to long."

Needless to say the next day the third task began.

Once the whistle was blown and introductions were over the Champions were allowed into the lake. Melinda waited until last and sat down on the ledge.

"What is she doing?" she heard many whisper and she pulled her wand and pointed it as her throat, muttering the illusion spell very low. Then she pointed it at her legs and spoke the transfiguration spell.

Everyone watched in amazement as the Girl-Who-Lived began to glow from the waist down and the her legs fused together and she developed a colored fish tail. She looked like the stereotypical mermaid to those who were aware of the Muggle depiction.

"SHE'S A MERMAID!" someone yelled from the stands behind her on the floating deck like thing.

She rolled her eyes and then threw herself into the lake. It was instant that she could breath and anyone who would look that wasn't able to see past the spell (magical creatures like the merpeople for instance) would see the bubble-head charm in place.

The feeling of swimming with a tail instead of legs was... amazing. For a moment she felt like the sea princess she was said to be. Then she snickered as she swam some and then up towards the surface as a question she'd asked her father about growing a tail came back to her.

She heard the gasps of awe as she shot out of the water and flipped in mid air, the golden tail and metallic blue swimsuit – top half all that was visible obviously - reflecting in the sunlight.

She noticed almost instantly she could swim faster with her new appendage, but that wasn't all that shocking. Fish were made for swimming, it was the reason they had tails built like they did. She saw Fleur swim past, along with Cedric and Dasha. All three were using the bubble-head charm.

She hadn't seen Krum at all, yet.

As she passed some fish which began chattering about the daughter of Poseidon becoming a mermaid, and how her father would have to beat the merboys off with his trident, she blushed and saw the flickering image of a Nereid and a flash.

A camera she realized. She stopped short, facing the Nereid.

"What was that?" she asked and the water spirit smiled.

_Your father wished for some pictures._ The Nereid answered and Melinda raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

The Nereid chuckled. _Because you make a very beautiful mermaid Princess. It's not everyday one of his half-blood children grows a tail, even if it's temporary. _

Melinda's nose twitched as she fought back a flush of embarrassment. She hoped he never showed them to anyone.

"I gotta go," Melinda told the Nereid and then swan away.

The rest of the task was rather... task like. She had to put up with merpeople pointing their tridents and spears at her. They looked different then what she'd read her father's kingdom produced, and if Triton was anything to go by. Probably just another species or something.

She couldn't leave Fred or the little girl who was obviously Fleur's little sister. Cedric, Dasha and Viktor had already saved their hostages.

In the end Melinda was able to free both but was attacked by little water demons. The things were more of a nuisance then they appeared in her third year when she saw one in Remus' tank in the DADA classroom.

In the end she came in second place, the extra points because she'd saved not only her hostage but Fleur's as well.

"I knew you could do it," Fred greeted, hugging her and spinning her around a bit in his enthusiasm. She laughed.

"Okay, enough love birds," Hermione teased, coming over with a towel around. Melinda had one around herself as well, seeing as she'd been forced to allow herself to get wet for the task.

**xXx**

Melinda groaned as she hit the ground, hard. She was cut, sore and pissed off.

Not only had those stupid judges included giant spiders, attacking plants, wind storms, anti-gravity mist, but they'd also placed a freakin' sphinx in the maze.

A SPHINX!

She wasn't too sure if there were different breads but she was lucky to answer the riddle correct. She wasn't even sure that would have worked, and it hadn't. The Sphinx had smelled demigod and attacked.

Thankfully Dasha had come ready, breaking the rules to get her dagger through.

If it weren't for the rush she was pushed into this morning she may have done the same but it wasn't like she slept with Tachýs and Abyss on all the time. Now she was regretting it.

"Kill the spare!"

"Cedric, duck!" she cried but it was too late.

The green spell she knew so well hit him as he turned his attention to her. The son of Apollo dropped to the ground, his gray eyes staring blankly.

She dropped to her knees in despair. Sobs trying to force their way up, her tears filling her green eyes.

She gasped as an hand, a hand with four fingers grabbed her and hulled her over to the grave. She was so shocked she couldn't even fight back, one of her friends, a good friend at that. Someone she saw as an older brother had just been killed... and it was her fault.

She came to her senses as a gag was stuff in her mouth and the man – Wormtail she realized – slapped her with his hand, the one which was missing a finger. The hand which was proof that he'd betrayed her parents trust.

"Begin Wormtail," a small hissing voice said, sending pain through her scar.

She hadn't noticed it before but her scar was searing with pain, more so now then before. Melinda watched in horror as Wormtail began some sort of dark ritual, using bones of the father, flesh of the servant, and blood of the enemy – her blood.

Please let it drown, please Mother Hecate, let it drown. She thought desperately but as the pain got worse and the cauldron bubble she knew her prayer were for nothing.

A form rose from the cauldron, stepped out. It was tall, probably a foot taller then her, if not more. Bald and had scaly snake like skin. The figured seemed to run his spider like hands over his bald head, and his body which was white as bone, before speaking.

"Robe me," he spoke, his voice seeming to have a slight permanent hiss to it. Not much but enough that she caught it.

Wormtail moved, placing black robes over the the man. She stared in horror, and to her great disgust the first name that came to her was Tom. But she knew this wasn't Tom. This was Voldemort, the monster, not the boy.

"Ah...Melinda. Come to join my rebirthing party I see," Voldemort began, turning and noticing her. He smiled at her with a wide grin, his eyes were burning blood red.

He walked closer, noticing Cedric he stopped.

"Such a handsome boy," he muttered, poking at the body with his foot.

"Don't touch him!" Melinda cried, but it came out garbled with the gag still in place. But it was obvious what she was trying to get out.

Voldemort laughed. "Be patient Lin, the party is just beginning."

Melinda shivered, and endured what felt like a eternity of Voldemort show boating to his Death Eaters. He had eventually taken the gag from her mouth while mocking her mother, and telling the history of Riddle Manor and his parents.

"And of course our dear guest of honor here. Without her I would not be here today," he said, drawling closer to her. "She stands on the grave of my father, a terrible man. But then you know that don't you Lin?"

"Don't call me that," she spat and he smiled almost in a way that made him less monstrous.

"Ah, but you didn't mind when it was my diary calling you that. Now did you?" he asked. "I seem to recall you quite liked me then."

Her personal space bubble had been popped before the second sentence even left his mouth and she was both glaring and forcing back tears as well. Tom had warned her he may remember some things, but she had hoped he was wrong.

"I couldn't touch you then either... but no matter," Voldemort said into her ear. "I can touch her now!"

Melinda screamed as the pad of his index finger pressed into her scar, making it feel as if the skin was being burned, flayed and cut all at once.

Voldemort laughed. "You've grown quite a lot since then Melinda. It's a pity my diary self can't be here to see you now. He was right though, you are beautiful when you're in pain."

"Go to Hades!" Melinda hissed, spitting in his face as he moved back.

"Untie her Wormtail," Voldemort snapped as he wiped the spittle from his face. "Now Wormtail."

"I'm going to show you some respect, a little lesson you could say," Voldemort said and as she fell onto the ground and began to rise to her feet a curse shot from his wand and struck her.

Melinda fell to the ground, twitching and screaming. Her back arched off the ground as she screamed, her fingers digging into the graveyard grass under the palms of her hands. She felt like thousands of knives were shooting through her, like fire was liking away her flesh. Even her bones were on fire. Then the pain stopped.

"Lovely isn't she?" Voldemort asked, looking at his followers. "It's a pity she is blinded by the light, that she has caused me so much agony in the past. Ruining my plans, my...goals. Forcing me into a wraith like existence. But I am a merciful Lord, I shall give you one more chance, Melinda Potter."

Voldemort was circling her now like a shark or wolf would pray. "Join me, and you shall be spared. Join me and I shall give you power to do with as you please."

Melinda glared at him, her limbs spasming slightly every now and then. From the Cruciatus Curse she knew.

"Never!" she exclaimed and screamed as the Cruciatus Curse hit her like a ton of bricks.

"So be it," Voldemort said after releasing the spell.

Melinda stood, and raised her wand. The one Voldemort had Wormtail return to her after unbinding her from the gravestone.

She was hit from behind with a cutting curse though, forcing a scream from her lips and her back onto her knees. Wormtail her decided to join in on the fun, the curse had struck her right shoulder blade and back. She saw black spots in front of her, she was loosing blood fast it seemed. Small cuts from the task, bruises, soreness, and now massive blood lose from the wound on her right forearm and her back. Not to forget the Cruciatus Curses.

"Wormtail," she heard Voldemort snap and then another Cruciatus Curse but this time it hit Wormtail.

Melinda turned slightly and tried to rise to her feet only to hear the foot falls of Voldemort beside her and then pain as her long braid was pulled, making her rise up to her feet, her head forced back to reveal her neck.

"So defenseless," Voldemort muttered. "I think I'll allow you too live a while longer... if only to let everyone enjoy you Melinda. After I'm satisfied I'll let you die."

Melinda's eyes widened, not exactly sure what he meant. She knew torture wasn't a stranger to Death Eaters or Voldemort... but the way he said that, the way he had her by the hair made her fear she'd be in for much worse then death or torture if she didn't get out of here.

Melinda clinched her fist and muttered a quick Greek spell, and then rammed her elbow back into Voldemort gut. The spell would give her slightly more the human strength for about five minutes, if that. The effect was instant, and she was released, and darted to behind a gravestone while she thought of how to get out of there.

Her eyes landed on the Triwizard Cup and her eyes widened.

The Cup, it was a Portkey!

Now she only had to get to it.

**xXx**

Melinda blinked hard as she opened her eyes.

A week and a half. That was how long she'd been in the infirmary. How long to heal completely to Pomfrey's standard. She had used some of the Pearl's water to speed up her healing, but she'd been so badly injured and she hadn't wanted to use much of the pearl's healing waters as to not rise suspicions that it had taken longer.

Two broken ribs, a ten inch gash on her back, starting from her shoulder and going diagonally down her shoulder blades and back. It would leave a scar from what Pomfrey had said, as would the one from Wormtail's knife. She's had numerous bruises and scratches and smaller cuts on her hands, face, arms and any part of her body that hadn't been protected by clothing.

Then there was the Cruciatus exposure and the stress. The fact Cedric was dead and Voldemort was back had left her energy zapped. She'd talked to her father though, well sort of. He'd contacted her in her dreams – it seemed Hecate wasn't the only god or goddess able to accomplish dream communication.

He'd been worried, and she hadn't answered the mirror so he'd assumed she'd not been in the area.

She'd told him everything, and broken down in the process.

She'd woken up on and off in the week and a half she'd been her. Her friends had come to visit, the candy and card and flowers were a sure give away. Fred and George had even gotten a Hogwarts Toilet seat inside, and she'd had the privilege of seeing it before Madam Pomfrey had left.

On another note she'd won the tournament, but at a price.

She wanted nothing to do with the prize money, and planed to give it to Fred and George to create their joke shop with. She knew Mrs. Weasley hadn't been happy about their plans but it was their dream, and she didn't think Mrs. Weasley should stand in the way of that.

"How are you?" Hermione asked on the last day before term ended. "You missed the speech. Dumbledore did this really beautiful speech about Cedric and how he died."

Melinda winced, and blinked back tears. It amazed her she still had any to cry.

"Yeah, sorry. I've been better," Melinda said.

"Dasha told us to give this to you," Neville said. "She said it was her e-mail and owl address, seeing as you'll need it at least once seeing as she lives in Greece most the year and OWLs sometimes need the help."

Melinda knew Neville was rambling, he did that when nervous and she forced a smile and took the note. The foreign students were already leaving, a day before the Hogwarts Express would leave actually.

Dasha would leave with the news that Cedric Diggory, Son of Apollo was dead. She could imagine that Camp Half-Blood would be burning a golden shroud in a few days time.

"How's Moody?" Melinda asked, wanting to change the subject.

Her friends exchanged worried looks but she ignored them.

"Fine, paranoid but after being locked in his trunk for half a year I'd be too," Hermione said.

"I still can't believe Moody wasn't really Moody," Ron said, shaking his head. "Crazy."

Melinda nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "Crazy."

Melinda stared down into her lap after that, her eyes seemingly non-blinking. Everything was going to change now, and she couldn't help but blame herself. If she had never taken that cup, had never allowed herself to be tied up. If had acted like a demigod instead of a grief stricken little girl, then maybe Voldemort would have never gotten her blood and never returned.

It was too late to change anything now though.

For once in four years, Melinda dreaded the year to come.


	18. The Years Before: Year Five

**AN: So, the start of year five. We won't be long now before we get to camp, and then the real fun begins, the real plot behind this whole story/series. I hope you are all enjoying it, and baring with me and my longer then I wanted Hogwarts years for Melinda. **

**The next chapter may take longer because of length and because of writing chapters for some of my other stories.  
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**But I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I want to thank everyone who has reviewed.  
**

**R&R!  
**

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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 18: The Years Before: Year Five. **

_'Kill the spare.'_

_'...after I'm satisfied I'll let you die.'_

_'let go sweetie, but know James and I love you. That your father loves you.'_

_'bow to death, bow..' _

_'I wouldn't know...I've never died.'_

_'CEDRIC...DUCK!' _

Melinda tossed and turned in bed and suddenly shot up as the green flash glowed behind her minds eyes.

A month since the fourth task. A month since Cedric had been killed by Lord Voldemort, a month since the world had changed. Cedric had been the first casualty of a new war, of a war which no one even knew was coming. The ministry refused to believe her or Dumbledore.

The only ones who did were Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus. Along with Moody and Snape – but she didn't know Moody well and she hated Snape. She knew that starting in the middle of July she'd been banned from coming downstairs when a large group of adults came over. The Weasley's included.

The Order of the Phoenix, Sirius had told her. But he refused to disclose anymore information.

That didn't bother her at first, she had Fred to keep her company along with the others. But Fred had noticed how upset she was that no one would tell her what was going on. She had a right to know, it was her that was at the top of Voldemort's kill list after all.

She'd been pleasantly surprised by their newest invention. Extendable ears, best for spying on people from a distance. Even though Hermione hadn't agreed with this method it hadn't stopped the girl from joining in with them. They (Melinda, Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Neville and Hermione) hadn't been caught yet.

She hadn't learned much though. It was like they didn't know much, except that he was after some sort of weapon in the department of mysteries. Just the mention of that place made her shiver, like something was there that was meant for her and she didn't want to know about it. Ever.

July had been a eventful month, and with her fifteenth birthday having been just a week ago... she'd turned fifteen and she was pretty sure she'd had a panic attack. If it wasn't for her the abrupt mirror call from her father she may have begun panicking even more.

Only a year. A year before it was determined if the Great Prophecy was about her, she really hoped it wasn't. She had her own problems and her father was hoping it wasn't too. He actually thought it might be her half-brother, Percy. She wouldn't wish that fate on anyone, she'd rather it be her, but at the same time she knew it would be a relief if it were.

Even if it wasn't her and was Percy that didn't mean she'd let him go about it alone. She'd be there for him, helping him fight... one way or another.

She dreaded her sixteenth birthday though, but at the same time she couldn't wait. She wanted to get it over with, the sooner she turned sixteen the sooner she could calm down. After all, her moods had started to be noticed by Fred and others. It wasn't like she could tell Fred the truth.

That would have went well; Yeah, I'm sorry I lied but your girlfriend is half god. A daughter of Poseidon actually.

Melinda rolled her eyes... definitely not how she'd have to break it. Because she knew that if this relationship were to work she'd have to tell him sooner or later.

Nightmares plagued on another note.

She revisited the graveyard nearly every night. It had been worse in the first month after it happened, she'd nearly gotten no sleep over it and ended up cutting her long hair off. The feeling of it being pulled like a leash on a dog still burning in her mind. She'd shocked everyone when she'd came downstairs on the July 4th with shoulder blade length hair.

The only explanation she'd give was it had begun getting hard to keep, or she just wanted a change.

"Mel." Melinda looked up from her thoughts and over to where Hermione stood with a lamp light at the door.

"Yeah?" she asked.

Hermione frowned, noticing the look in her friends eyes. "Are you alright?"

Melinda sighed. "Yeah, just a nightmare. I'll be fine once I calm down." She knew there was no use lying to Hermione.

"Come on then, I'll keep you company while you make the hot chocolate," Hermione said, smiling slightly.

Melinda smiled, her friends seemed to know her so well.

Melinda threw the covers back and threw on a fresh pair of boy shorts and purple tank top seeing at the ones she'd worn to bed were sweaty and smelled. Sesha was still napping on the rock in the corner, but as she went to leave the snake raised her head.

_::Do you wish me to come mistress?:: _she asked.

Melinda smiled._ ::No thank you Sesha, I'll be fine. Go back to sleep.::_

_::As you...wish mistress.::_ if snakes could yawn Sesha would have as she lowered her head back to her rock.

Melinda chuckled and left her room. Five minutes later she was at the kitchen table with Hermione and surprisingly, Fred.

"Lin," Fred said, "the hot chocolate looks ready to boil over."

Melinda gasped and shot up from Fred's lap – they'd been dating for a few months now, it was only natural they were past the awkward kisses stage. Though not quite to the groping phase or anything that came after that. Melinda wasn't near ready for _that_.

"Damn," she swore, almost slipping on the floor as she ran the short distance to the burner.

Hermione and Fred snickered at their friend and Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, laugh it up now," Melinda said, turning the burner off and stirring the cocoa. "I'll just drink all the cocoa by myself."

Fred and Hermione stopped laughing at once and she chuckled. Ladling out three cups and placing them on a silver tray. She lifted the tray and turned, walking back to the small kitchen table and placing in the middle.

"It didn't burn, thankfully," she said, and pulled a free chair around beside Fred and sat.

"Do you think You-Know-Who is planning anything?" Hermione suddenly asked as they held the warm cups of cocoa.

Fred looked at his girlfriend in worry, he knew how Melinda felt about this whole thing. The war which was sure to come to them before long.

"I know he is," Melinda muttered. "He's not going to sit and plan nothing, he's always up to something."

The three looked down, sighing.

Anyone who would have walked in at that time would have seen three very serious teenagers. It would have been hard to recognize the fact they were not adults at that very moment.

**xXx**

"I want to join!" Melinda said, looking at the adults assembled at the table. "If this has to do with Voldemort, then I have to be apart of it."

Mrs. Weasley scoffed. "Hogwash, you're a young lady Melinda. You should be focusing on boys, not war. You let us handle this, we're more then able to handle it."

Melinda bit her tongue from saying something she'd regret but couldn't stop herself from arguing at all.

"I have a boyfriend, and with all do respect Molly, I've been in this war since I was born," she snapped. "I've fought him before, just this June in fact. I've been possessed by him before, I know how he thinks better then anyone else I can think of. Not to sound childish, but he started it."

The adults all looked unsure of what to say, though Sirius and Remus were sitting with proud looks on their face, staring at the other order members as if to say, I told you so.

Mr. Weasley spluttered. "Well...y-yes but that doesn't mean you should put yourself in danger! This is no place for children!"

Melinda's eyes flashed dangerously as unknown rage filled her.

"I am not a child!" she raged, shocking everyone at her raised voice. "I've never been a child, not that I can remember anyway. I don't need to think about this, I don't need to worry about things teenaged girls my age think about because like it or not Voldemort is never going to leave me alone."

"Molly," Arthur suddenly said, pulling his wife back into her seat. "Melinda is right."

"She's a child Arthur," Molly muttered.

"No, she isn't," Sirius snapped.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Yes, well this is all very informative and while Melinda does have fair points...I can't in good conscious allow her to join the Order."

Melinda looked at him in slight surprise and anger. "Why?"

"You are not seventeen yet, nor finished with Hogwarts. All Order members must be of adult age to enter, I'm sorry," he said but he didn't sound all that sorry.

He also refused to make eye contact with her which only further pushed her anger.

Why wouldn't he look at her? She clinched her fist and stood.

"Fine. I'm going to talk to my parents...then I'm going to the library."

Though it sort of seemed childish even to her Melinda stormed out of the room, leaving the order members shocked.

"Good riddance," Snape sneered. "Arrogant child thinks she knows so much about the Dark Lord, she wouldn't last five minutes."

Sirius glared. "Really? I seem to recall her lasting a lot longer then that over the years. Her first year, her second – especially her second – and her fourth year. I doubt many can duel the Dark Lord with a fourth years knowledge and come out of it alive...Snivellus ."

"Why you no good rotten mutt -" Snape said, slowly raising his wand but Dumbledore was quick to break it up.

"STOP!" he said loudly, and sternly. "This is not the time for fighting boys."

"He needs to keep his greasy trap shut," Sirius snapped. "Melinda is probably the only hope we have, she's not defenseless."

Remus sighed.

"I agree with Sirius," he said. "You made a mistake by not allowing Melinda to join the Order. One I hope doesn't have consequences."

Dumbledore sighed, he hoped it didn't as well.

"Should she be allowed in the library?" Tonks asked, looking at everyone as a thought struck her. "I may not have many Black raisings from my mum, but I know the library is filled with Dark Books."

Dumbledore looked startled and began to rise.

Sirius stopped him though.

"Don't."

"What?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Black, you can't seriously trust that she won't look at them?" Snape snarled.

Sirius chuckled. "Of course she reading them!"

Everyone stared at him in complete and utter shock, except Moody.

"WHAT!" Molly screeched. "SIRIUS BLACK, YOU ALLOW HER TO READ BOOKS ON THE DARK ARTS?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "If she wishes to read about them and learn them that is her prerogative. She's been reading them since her fourth year, looking into them since her third. We have an understanding. She won't go near the unforgivables practically unless me or Remus are there to supervise her."

"That is quite disconcerting my boy," Dumbledore said, looking grave and rather old.

"I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't allow her to learn what she pleased. Melinda is well aware of the effect Dark Arts can have, but she is as curious as her mother," Sirius said, and Remus who nodded.

"Lily wouldn't have gone near the Dark Arts, she hated them," Snape argued, glaring.

Sirius and Remus laughed.

"No, James hated the Dark Arts. Lily was always intrigued by them. The few books that were left in the Potter library from Dorea Potter nee Black herself were read and reread by Lily. You're all fools if you think Lily was a wall flower or some innocent being who could do no wrong. She had her flaws," Sirius said, standing up.

"Now, I'm going to go talk to Melinda about things you all seem to think she's to much of a child to understand," Sirius announced.

"Quite right lad," Moody said, speaking up for the first time. "She deserves to know."

"I do not believe it for the bes -" Dumbledore began but was cut off by Remus who glared.

"I think we all know what you think is for the best Headmaster. After all, it resulted in Melinda being abused emotionally and sometimes physically by her muggle relatives for over a decade."

Remus and Sirius left with the room going into uproars over the information.

Sirius and Remus smiled.

Chaos and disorder, their work there was done.

Meanwhile, Melinda had stormed off to where the late Mrs. Black once rested. Now in her place was a large golden framed panting of a library, with many luxuries.

In the painting was a beautiful redhead with large almond shaped emerald eyes, like they'd been plucked from a stone and place there. Her ivory skin was parent against a deep purple dress, her long dark red hair falling in wavy curls down her back.

In another area was a handsome man, with a swimmers build to Muggles but what she knew was a Chasers build and the most unruly raven black hair she'd ever seen. His eyes were hazel-blue, and filled with mischief behind wire framed glasses.

James and Lily Potter.

"Mom, Papa," she said, drawling their attention to her.

When she'd first met them at the end of her fourth year she'd been a mess. Her mother and step-father had been a great help to her. In time she'd become close to the portrait, even though she knew they were not truly her parents, just bits of them in a portrait.

In the time they'd talked she'd begun calling James, Papa, as to separate her biological father from her step-father. Calling him James would raise to many questions from other who didn't know she was a daughter of Poseidon.

"Lin," Lily said, coming as close to the portrait as she could.

James followed, standing slightly behind his wife.

"How are you ladybug?" James asked, using the nickname he'd given her at birth.

It sort of confused her but the he'd gone into this long story of how she'd reminded him of a ladybug she was so small as a baby. And that it was the costume they'd dressed her up in on her first and last happy Halloween.

She didn't think they made costumes that small seeing as she would have been around four or so months old at the time.

"I've been better."

Lily and James exchanged looks. Sometimes it amazed Melinda how life like her parents portrait was.

"Are you still having Nightmares?" Lily asked.

Melinda sighed. "Yeah...but no. I don't visit the graveyard often now, but..."

"Mellie," James encouraged and Melinda bit her lip.

"it's this new dream. He keeps showing me this door, and whispering things I can't remember when I wake up. This long hall and this door...it's always the same, almost every night now."

Lily and James frowned.

"How long have you been having them?" James asked.

"On and off since July, but they've gotten more pronounced. And I'm just so..angry. Even the littlest thing seems to set me off. Yesterday Fred was joking with George and I just blew up at him."

"Maybe you should talk to Dumbledore about it," James suggested.

Lily saw the look of hesitance and distrust in her daughters eyes. "Or perhaps Sirius."

James nodded his eyes lightning up. "Yes, Padfoot would be a good choice. Moony as well."

Melinda smiled, feeling better just from talking to someone about her newest nightmares and feelings.

"Thanks, mom, papa," she said. "I'm gonna go to the library. I have some things to look over for that project I told you about."

They nodded and Melinda turned, leaving for the library. The project being the one to find a way to cure the insanity caused by the Cruciatus Curse.

Progress was being made but she still had to successfully cast the torture curse, the problem in it being she didn't have the motivation or wish to truly make it work. At this rate she'd never be able to move on to testing the potion she'd created – hoping it would work.

She knew Sirius could cast the spell fairly well, he'd been the one supervising her attempts so far. Maybe he'd curse the rabbit for her...she sighed as she entered the library. She'd figure it out one way or another.

**xXx**

Melinda wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

Voldemort cracked his neck in an eerily similar way she'd begun to crack hers, similar to a serpentine movement, over the last month when she was annoyed or stressed. It made her sick that they had anything in common.

He smiled at her, holding out his hand, wearing a finely made black suit she realized. Standing on the Hogwarts platform, for all to see, but all were passing in almost slow motion.

"_...help.."_ only a few words escaped from his moving mouth with sound and then everything stopped as his red eyes bore into her with cruelty and amusement. _"You'll help me, won't you Melinda?" _

"Melinda...MELINDA!"

Melinda shot up with a gasp, her hand going for her wand as her eyes shot open wide.

"Mel, it's just us," Hermione said, placing a concerned hand on her arm.

Looking around Melinda realized she'd fallen asleep on the Hogwarts express, her head rested against the window. She sighed, she seemed to be doing that a lot in life.

"I'm sorry...bad dream," she answered.

"Was it about..." Neville trailed off, not sure what to say and she shook her head.

"Not, it wasn't the graveyard again."

Her friends exchanged looks but said nothing until she noticed the train coming to a stop.

"Right, uh...I woke you to let you know we were about to arrive," Hermione said and Melinda nodded, standing and grabbing her robes she darted out of the compartment to find a empty one to change in.

Hermione sighed, sitting down but just before her butt would touch the seat she heard a outraged hiss and shot up again, and turned. In the place where she would had sat was a upset Sesha. The cobra's hood was flared and her tongue was flicking out angrily.

Hermione flushed, sighing. "I'm sorry Sesha, I didn't mean too."

The snake calmed down and calmly flicked her tongue, once and then twice. They'd known the snake long enough to know it was basically her way of accepting the apology. Then the snake slithered forward and headbutted her hand.

Hermione sighed and reached out, picking her friends familiar up while Hedwig hooted pridefully in her cage above the seats.

"You think Hedwig and Sesha will ever get along?" Ron asked, amused.

Neville snorted. "Not likely."

Sesha nodded.

_::Right you are lumpy one. That flea bitten bird brain has nothing on me.::_ she hissed, despite no one being able to understand her.

Though Hedwig seemed to understand and hooted a hiss like hoot towards the serpent who did the snake version of a smirk at the owl.

Ten minutes later Luna, Hermione, Fred and Melinda were in one carriage (Ron, Neville, Ginny and George in another in front of them) on their way up to the castle.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Luna asked, looking at the Thestrals as they pulled the carriage along.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"The Thestrals," Luna clarified. "They pull the carriages."

Hermione scoffed. "Nothing is pulling the carriage."

"I can see them too," Melinda said, and she wondered if she would be able to understand them.

As if to answer her thoughts one of the younger Thestrals turned and gazed at her with shinning blank white eyes.

_You are Lord Poseidon's child...Daddy, Daddy! I think she can here us!_ It said headbutting the older Thestrals beside him.

"I am," Melinda said moving closer to the Thestrals. Hermione moved and she sat on one knee where the bushy haired girl had once sat beside Fred.

They all gave her strange looks beside Luna who seemed to understand seeing as she could see the Thestrals.

The older death horse looked back with wide eyes and headbutted his son gently.

_Sammy, don't stare at our lady. Hello Lady Melinda, I am Pericles, a Thestral._ The older Thestral said.

"Did my father create your breed of horse as well?" she asked.

Pericles shook his head. _Not alone, we were created by both Poseidon and Hades, one of the only acts the brothers worked together for. _

Melinda nodded and reached out, stroking the creatures. Luna was right, they were beautiful.

"Melinda?" Hermione questioned and Melinda turned and smiled.

"They're really there Mione," Melinda said.

"I believe you," Fred said and wrapped his arm around her waist as she at in the seat properly.

"Thanks," Melinda said, leaning over and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

Fred grinned stupidly and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's not possible. I can't see anything."

"Of course not, only those who have witnessed and accepted a death can see them," Luna explained.

Hermione frowned. "I'll have to look it up. I don't believe it though, right now."

Melinda smiled, amused by her friends pride and logical mind set.

**xXx**

Melinda glared up at the head table.

"I hate her," she said, her eyes trying to set the ugly pink toad demon on fire with only her mind.

Actually...she might be able to with some help from her magic but then elemental spells were very temperamental and being as she was a being of the ocean trying to cast fire spells had never gone well for her.

She'd barely had any luck when it came to the incendio charm.

"She's can't be that bad," Neville said and everyone of his friends gave him disbelieving looks.

"She'll be terrible," Hermione said. "Did you hear anything she said? She'd basically trying to take Hogwarts from the inside. I'd be surprised if we learned anything this year, and it's our O.W.L. Year!"

Melinda felt a bit of pity for Umbridge then, just a little. Gods help the one who got in the way of Hermione's passing her O.W.L.S with flying colors that would make Athena and Iris jealous.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see," Fred said from Melinda's side.

"Yeah, guess we will," Melinda muttered, returning to her food.

At least on the bright side she had gotten Rita Skeeter put on probation when it came to her job. It would be a long time before the Daily Prophet wrote to many stories about her with all the money she'd gotten through suing them for slander in the last few months.


	19. The Years Before: Year Five II

**AN: So, here is the next chapter. Year five only has one chapter left and it will be up in a day or two since it probably won't be much longer then this one. Only two more years before we get to Camp, yay! Anyway I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please, let me know what you all think.  
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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 19: The Years Before: Year Five II. **

Umbridge was a nightmare.

Her fifth year was turning into a nightmare, but it was the actual nightmares that kept her up at times that made her year that much more stressful. Add these two things to the fact everyone thought she was crazy – she'd already gotten into a fight with Seamus on the first night back – and Dumbledore was ignoring her.

Sure, she wasn't fond of the headmaster for his part in placing her with the Dursley's and she thought he paid way to much attention to her to be healthy, but he was deliberately avoiding her, or eye contact to be more exact. It was enough to drive anyone crazy.

The first DADA class she broke a record by getting ten detentions with the pink toad. She hadn't thought much of it until she got to the first detention. Sure, she thought the classroom itself was bad, she almost puked the moment she'd entered the woman's office.

"Today, you'll be writing lines," Umbridge said, sipping her puke pink tea. It was almost more then she could take.

Melinda sat down, trying to keep the glare off her face. She didn't particularly like being called a liar, she only lied when she had no choice and at the moment she had no secrets from her friends and family (Sirius and Remus). She hadn't told Fred yet, but she wasn't exactly lying to him since he hadn't asked about anything.

"How many?" she asked, pulling out her quill.

Umbridge plastered a wide grin on her face, a nasty look in her bug blue eyes.

"Oh no dear, you'll be using one of my...special quills."

Melinda looked at the woman suspiciously but took the quill which didn't look much like a quill at all. More like metal pencils or pens with a feather attached at the ends.

"Now, I want you to write...I must not tell lies."

Melinda bit the inside of her cheek. "How many times?" she asked again.

"Until it sinks in, dear."

She sighed, and looked for the ink. There was none but Umbridge seemed to think she wouldn't need any. So, she began writing. The ink was red, that was the first thing she noticed and then she heard Sesha hiss in outrage. Slithering out from her robes and she noticed easily enough the pain in her left hand.

_::It's blood mistress! This toad woman is steeling your blood!:: _

Melinda paled, her mind flashing back to the night Voldemort was resurrected. He'd stolen her blood too, hadn't he?

"Ms. Potter! What is that beast doing here!?" Umbridge cried, a hand over her heart as if she were having a heart attack.

Pity, she wasn't, Melinda thought momentarily before she jumped up effectively dodging the bright spell that might have managed to cut through Sesha's magically tough scales. Cutting her body in half.

"How dare you!" Melinda exclaimed. "This _'beast'_ is my familiar!"

"How dare you speak to me that way," Umbridge said, her eyes wide. "I am Dolores Umbridge, undersecretary..."

Melinda hissed. "I dare. I don't know what that quill is but I can assume it's illegal. Corporal punishment is against school guidelines!"

"What can you do? Besides, who is to say I do not have permission to use such instruments? I am part of the Ministry and as part of the Ministry I demand that...animal be killed or disposed of while here."

Melinda felt the tug in her gut, but the only liquid around with any water was the woman's tea and the woman herself. She calmed her rage but looked to Sesha who had her hood flared.

"You know there is a reason why I am allowed to have my familiar with me despite her being very poisonous," Melinda began, glaring.

"And what is that?"

"I can control her," Melinda said.

_::Sesha...why don't you scare the toad some.:: _Melinda hissed, smirking at the terrified, wide eyed look Umbridge developed. _::Feel free to show her how dangerous you can be.:: _

Sesha hissed in pleasure and got ready to strike. Melinda watched the snake struck, hood flared and latched fangs into the side of Umbridge's face. Why the snake chose there to bite she wasn't sure.

Umbridge screamed bloody murder and Sesha released her hold and slithered down the woman's back and snapped at her ankles before slithering back to Melinda.

_::A dry bite mistress, I was sure you did not wish me to kill her. Pity though, she is a giant waste of space.::_

Melinda chuckled. _::I agree.:: _

"Mon-monster!" Umbridge yelled, holding her bleeding face and pointing at her. It was a shame she'd have to make this memory seem like a dream in the end.

Melinda glared.

"I've been called worse," she said, and it was sort of true.

She almost felt bad for what she'd done, but just a little. If Umbridge had done this to her as punishment who was to say she hadn't used this...blood letting quill on others?

Melinda concentrated, and snapped her fingers in front of her. A second later she felt the cool breeze and buzzing sensation of the mist. She was banking on the fact Umbridge would have a exceedingly low magical core or mental capabilities. It seemed to work, thankfully.

The woman's eyes glazed over and Melinda smiled.

"I came for my detention, I helped you sort through your papers and tidy up. You decided to drop the next nine detentions, for good behavior. Later you'll recall this happening but as a dream. In this dream you saw a detention you original planed and an out come which scared you. You will ignore Sesha from now on, it will seem as if she isn't even there," Melinda said, focusing.

It was quite a lot to use the Mist for but it was the best she could do. After that she took the paper she'd been using and the quill – she had plans for it should she ever hear of the woman using one again – and walked out the door, knowing Umbridge would wake from her Mist induced daze in a few minutes.

As for Sesha's snake bite left on Umbridge, well she had decided to splash a little of the pearls water on the woman before she left. It was a waste of perfectly good healing water but she had to do what she had to do.

That was just September.

November was worse. Umbridge was a bit edgy around her, and jumpy at times but she didn't give her anymore detentions until she'd caught her and Fred in a abandoned corner of a corridor making out. The rules the woman seemed to be inventing were annoying.

The blood quills made another appearance, and this time she'd ignored it. She would use the pearl to heal the wounds later, making sure to only use enough to heal the wound and leave a faint scar.

As the year went by she became even more angry. At the simplest thing it seemed but she had experience with ignoring her anger, suppressing it that she didn't actually blow up at the person or thing which had angered her. Sometimes nothing had happened but she'd still fill this sudden burst of rage.

In the middle of October Hermione came with the idea of the D.A. Dumbledore's Army, Ginny suggested later and at first she thought it was a stupid idea. Not to mention to name the group Dumbledore's Army, t just didn't seem safe or right to her.

Of course she agreed to it, there wasn't much of a option with the name. She mostly called it the D.A and commonly forgot that it was short for Dumbledore's Army.

"We could use the R.O.R?" Hermione suggested the day after they met in the Hogs Head in Hogsmeade.

"I train in there with Luna," Melinda pointed out. "The Chamber is free, it might take a while though to clean up."

Ginny paled. "No...I can't go back down there."

Melinda looked at the redhead and sighed. She'd forgotten what the diary had done to her as well, even if it had been for a shorter time.

"Alright, I guess I wouldn't be getting much training done this year anyways," Melinda said.

Getting this past Umbridge's nose wasn't near as difficult as it had appeared, at first anyways. She gotten power inside Hogwarts, Inquisitor or something – truth be told Melinda didn't listen half the time when Umbridge talked. Decrees were made, rules which shouldn't be broken.

Their little group wasn't exactly allowed, but what was life without some chances taken.

Umbridge was so far up on her shit list that parts of her diary had little drawings of her being killed in multiple painful ways. Her favorite was her being trampled by Hippogriffs or shot by Centaurs.

The D.A studied pretty much anything in the fifth year curriculum and more advanced things in case they were ever attacked by wizards out to kill them – or more precise, Death Eaters. This included the Patronus Charm but they would have to wait until after the holidays for that.

It was not long before Christmas Holidays that she had the first dream to really startle her. She wasn't seeing through her own eyes, she knew this much. She was much shorter, closer to the ground then she should be, like she was the same level or size as Sesha.

She was once again in the corridor, and then through the door. There were orbs, probably a little smaller then crystal balls. Arthur Weasley was there but he appeared to have not seen her. Then she was moving fast, striking and he was hurt, falling on the ground in pain.

_'Nagini!'_ she heard in her mind as she sat up in bed sweating and breathing heavily. Shivering as she tried to catch her breath and trying to figure out what she'd seen and how. That wasn't like any demigod dream she'd ever had, this was different.

"Mel?" Hermione asked, getting out of bed as she saw the shaking, sweating, pale girl sitting up in her bed. Sesha was hissing aggressively, startling everyone else awake as well.

"Can't she control that snake?" Lavender asked and Hermione glared.

"Can't you tell something is wrong with her Lavender?" Hermione snapped and helped Melinda out of bed.

It was sort of of a blur that she found herself in Dumbledore's office, Hermione and McGonagall having helped her there. She told him everything and it wasn't long later that the twins, Ginny and Ron arrived.

"Melinda," Fred said, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her. "Are you alright?"

Melinda sighed, burying her head in his chest.

"It's your dad Fred," she muttered. "I think he was hurt. I dreamed it, I don't know how..."

"It seems your dream was correct Melinda," Dumbledore said, drawing their attention to him. She couldn't help but notice he gazed away from her, more at Fred, who still had an arm around her waist beside her , then at her.

"I was just contacted, Arthur Weasley was found in the Ministry, bitten by a large snake."

The Weasley's all had fearful looks and stiff postures.

"He's alright, right sir?" Ron asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "We caught him just in time. St. Mungos is giving him the anti-venom now, you and your siblings will be excused early to go there and see him."

"Thanks Merlin," George said, sighing.

"You should thank Mel," Hermione said. "If she hadn't woken up and told us... we probably wouldn't have found him in time."

Fred smiled down at her and she returned it.

"Yes," Dumbledore said, though he seemed a bit grave.

"Sir," Melinda started, stepping forward. Dumbledore acted as if he'd not heard her. Instead he was still pacing, back and forth.

"Sir?" she tried gain, louder. He turned to the portraits, beginning to talk to them about something and she gritted her teeth and moved her neck in a serpentine manner before yelling, her eyes set in a glare.

"LOOK AT ME!"

She heard the gasps behind her and felt Fred's hand on her shoulder.

Dumbledore turned and looked at her though.

"What's happening to me?"

**xXx**

"I should have told you before," Sirius said, shaking his head.

Mr. Weasley had been released for Christmas and they were all at Grimmauld Place now. The first day or two had been awkward, and Sirius and Remus had been unsure of how to help her. But then she hadn't told them everything, she was afraid they would think she was crazy or sick. Or both.

Even after so long living with them she was still not completely used to having a family that loved her and didn't want to just use her like the Dursleys.

"What?" she asked as they stood in the family tapestry room.

It was pretty much an empty room with the family tree on the walls. Even with being the new Lord Black the tree hadn't been touched nor had he been placed back on the tree, yet anyways. Sirius despite being Lord Black had tried to keep out of the public scene at first and that included politics.

"Are you aware of why your parents went into hiding?" Sirius asked, and Melinda frowned trying to recall if her father or grams had ever mentioned it. She couldn't so she shook her head.

He sighed.

"Back before you were born Dumbledore came to us with a prophecy. The prophecy dealt with a baby born in July from what I understand. Either you or Alice and Frank's boy..."

"Neville," Melinda said, and shook her head. "Why is it always a prophecy?"

Sirius sighed.

"I don't know kiddo," he said. "Anyways it's the reason Voldemort targeted you, Lily and James. I don't know what is in it exactly, I don't think anyone but Dumbledore and the seer who gave it does."

"What does this have to do with my...visions for lack of better term?" she asked.

"The room you described sounds a lot like the Prophecy room in the Ministry. It's possibly it's Voldemort's way of trying to get you to get it for him. How I don't know."

Melinda blew a breath out of mouth in frustration.

"Thank you for telling me Siri," she said, giving him a hug.

"Screw Dumbledore, I'll tell you anything. You're my goddaughter, the closest thing I have to a daughter."

She smiled. "Does this have anything to do with him avoiding me?"

Sirius snorted. "I noticed that too. He said something about Voldemort getting to your head, and using you to get information from his mind. I really don't know Mel, I think it's a load of bullshit myself."

Melinda snorted.

"Come on, I think they're opening presents now," Sirius said and led her out of the old room.

Taking one last glance at the tree where he and Andromeda were burned off. He vowed to himself to come back and reinstate them later.

Holidays ended without much of a hitch. Her dreams had become less and less since the one where Mr. Weasley had been attacked. The talk with Sirius had helped her stress and anger, now that she had a vague idea why Voldemort was spending so much time tormenting her.

Soon it was time to return to Hogwarts.

It wasn't like other years were she'd be relieved to return. Umbridge had made Hogwarts like a Military school but so much worse. She was even trying to get Dumbledore fired so she could take his place.

Without her friends and Fred she didn't know what she may have done with how fragile her temper had become. She'd already attacked her with Sesha – something felt a little worse about after telling Sirius about it. Her father had already found out through Hecate who tended to watch her magical world more then other gods tended to pay attention to mortals.

He understood why she had but he made it clear that she shouldn't be using her powers or gifts to harm mortals. She knew that and had agreed to never resort to that unless attacked first – and not just by a quill that took her blood as ink.

She also knew he had been beyond angry that Umbridge had done that and she had a suspicion the woman would never be safe in water again.

It was kind Umbridge's first mistake, harming the daughter of a god. The sea god at that.

In January Hagrid had returned from wherever he'd been. It turned out he had been sent to the giant colonies by Dumbledore. He seemed pretty beat up when they saw him.

Time moved on, even though it seemed to take forever. Then it was April and things took a sudden turn for the worse when the R.O.R was found by Umbridge during one of their D.A meetings.

"Shit," Melinda muttered as they stood in front of the ruble that had once been the entrance to the R.O.R.

The pink toad stood there with a smug grin, her team of Slytherins behind her.

"What...do we have here," Umbridge said, much to happy for anyone's liking.

"Shit," Melinda muttered again, this time louder.

They may have been found, but at least she got to see Umbridge looking as if she'd just punched her mother with her vulgar language. Either that or told her that she should try eating shit...but then working at the Ministry Melinda was certain Umbridge was used to eating a lot of shit.

"You can say that again," Fred whispered to her and she stifled a chuckle.


	20. The Years Before: Year Five III

**AN: Sorry it took so long! I've been busy a bit more then usual. This is the last part of year five, I've been waiting to do this chapter for some time, as year five was one of my favorites. I won't be spending near as much time on year six, I'm sorry to disappoint. **

**Just the most important parts in my mind - mostly from the movie unfortunately as I no longer own a copy of books five, six or seven. Then Year seven, and then we're off to Camp. So about five or so more chapters before we get to the sequel which deals with life after Hogwarts and camp.  
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**I want to thank everyone for their reviews. I never dreamed I'd get over two hundred reviews for this story. I hope it's sequels will be just as liked. Hopefully more so.  
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**I'll try to update faster, but I also have other stories I'd like to update as well, so right now updates are gonna be slower. I'll try to update nearly all my stories once a week though.  
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**Anyway, enjoy and I hope to hear from you all as well.  
**

**Disclaimer: I think we all know by now that I do not own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. If I did I surely wouldn't be on here writing.  
**

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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 20: The Years Before: Year Five III.**

Poseidon paced.

He was aware of what was currently going on in his daughter's life. In his son's as well, but seeing as Melinda was in the most danger at the moment he would admit to paying a little more attention to her.

Melinda was already Fifteen. Just a few months now and she'd be turning sixteen... and then it would be determined. Or so he assumed, he knew prophecies were fickle things. They never really gave one a straight answer.

He hoped it wouldn't be her though, he had no doubt in her ability to fight but he also knew she had enough on her plate right now.

For around four years now he'd been trying to find out why Voldemort had targeted Lily, James and Melinda. Hecate had been a help as well, though he'd never known the goddess of witchcraft well seeing as she was a minor goddess.

He could see a bit of Lily in her though. They had similar features and some shared personality traits.

He knew without Hecate's help he wouldn't have come this far in finding out what he had. Melinda had been in her third year, the end of it that is when he'd found out there was a prophecy made around a year before Melinda was born.

A prophecy which would either save or doom the world Hecate had created. It was eerily similar to the Great Prophecy from his understanding but they had no luck in getting a hold of what the thing said.

He worried greatly for Melinda. Especially after what had happened with Zeus' daughter, Thalia. It had been four years ago that his niece had met her fate, and became a tree through Zeus' pity. He knew how angered and stricken his brother had been at his daughters death.

He couldn't help but think of what he'd have done if it had been Melinda in Thalia's place.

The two girls were only a few months apart in age. Melinda was born in July of '88, while Thalia was born in December of '87.

"I have it!"

Poseidon stopped pacing at once, turning to find the minor goddess walking into the throne room with a small orb. A copy of said orb anyways.

"That the original?" he asked and Hecate scoffed.

"Of course not your Kelp Brain. This is simply a copy, we're lucky we're close enough relatives of Melinda or I wouldn't have been able to pick it up... god or not," she replied and handed the sphere over to Poseidon who rolled it in his hand.

"It doesn't look like much," he said.

"Yeah, well. The Oracle wasn't helping me much... so I had to go to the source. You owe me one Poseidon," she said, crossing her arms.

He nodded and looked at the woman who reminded him so much of Lily in appearance. Only darker and not as soft looking as Lily had appeared.

"How does it work?"

Hecate sighed.

"You're hopeless," she muttered, taking the sphere back and it glowed a second latter. Then mist rose from it and a raspy woman's voice spoke.

As the prophecy was spoken Hecate and Poseidon became very pale. When it ended Hecate dropped the orb, letting it shatter on the floor between them.

"It's about Mel, isn't it?" Poseidon asked, his throat suddenly dry despite being underwater.

Hecate sighed, her face grave.

"I fear so."

**xXx**

Time moved at what almost seemed like a snails pace.

Melinda couldn't help but feel guilty. She'd gotten Dumbledore fired and nearly arrested. If not for Fawkes the old man would probably be rotting in a cell at Azkaban. No matter how much she disliked the lemon drop eating headmaster, she didn't think he deserved Dementors.

To put things bluntly, she was pissed. Umbridge was ruining the school with her tyranny. Hogwarts had been like her first home, she didn't like anyone messing around with it. The Professor's were all walking around on what seemed like pins and needles when they thought students weren't looking.

Lessons with Snape to learn Occlumency were going so badly she wanted nothing more then to tell the Potions master where he could shove it. Snape was being petty, it was like he spent the time to invade her privacy, lacking the quality of actually teaching her anything and to belittle her step-father.

Then he spent the other amount of time to tell her things about the Dark Lord she already knew. She wasn't stupid, she knew her mind was vulnerable to him, but at the same time it wasn't. A demigods mind was hard to infiltrate, Snape learned that when he'd attempted to use only a little power to get into her mind thinking her mentally weak. He'd held nothing back after that.

Time passed though, and eventually she was happy to find that Occlumency was no longer a worry for her. Not because she'd learned it, but because she'd finally got to the point where she couldn't take Snape's presence or bad mouthing any longer. When he brought Sirius and Remus into the argument, it was the final straw.

She had been looking into the mind arts on her own time, finding a much better idea of what the subject Intel without Snape trying to teach her. Clear her mind, indeed. There was a whole lot more to Occlumency and even Legilimency then clearing her mind.

Long story short, she'd attacked back and seen some of his memories. Needless to say Snape wasn't willing to continue to teach her anything more, and kicked her out of his office. That was fine by her, she had no need of them anyways.

From what she understood Occlumency was not going to keep Voldemort out of her head. Their connection was beyond mind arts.

It was June when everything fell apart.

Melinda was sitting her O.W.L.S with the other fifth years, and it was actually that same day that Voldemort's plan was truly revealed to her. It was also the day Umbridge was dealt with.

"I'll see you this summer babe," Fred said as he grabbed her hand, stopping the broom only long enough to steal a kiss before flying out of the great hall.

"Give her hell from us Peeves!" the twins exclaimed together.

Everyone stood, running after them, ignoring the charred and burnt toad which stood in the middle of the hall in shock. Everyone was laughing as they watched the twins fly, throwing fireworks as they speed off. When the fireworks ignited it left a large W in it's wake.

Melinda grinned but that grin was soon wiped off her face by a pounding in her head. The laughter around her faded and she collapsed onto the ground, others moved out of the way as she did.

_'Where is it? Get it for me and I'll let you live.' it was a hissing voice and she recognized it easily. _

_She saw Voldemort, and Sirius in front of him on his knees, looking as if his arms were bound. _

_'Never,' Sirius said. 'You'll have to kill me.'_

_Voldemort sneered. 'So be it.'_

Melinda came back to reality with the vision of Sirius being tortured burned into her mind. She was being helped up by Ron and Hermione, both looking extremely worried.

"Sirius..." she muttered, breathless. "He has Sirius."

**xXx**

"Mel, don't touch it," Hermione said, feeling something was dreadfully wrong.

Melinda, Neville, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna had made it to the Hall of Prophecies, but it hadn't been easy. Umbridge had nearly ruined everything but in the end she'd had the pleasure of watching the woman be dragged off by angry Centaurs.

Once this was all over she'd use the evidence she had to make sure Umbridge never worked in the Ministry again, and possibly place Fudge in a even worse light then he currently was in. That was beside the point though.

"It has my name on it," Melinda said and turned back to the orb. Slowly, she reached forward and took the shimmering orb into her hand.

"What is it?" Ginny asked, confused and Melinda bit her lip.

Luna stared in her usual dreamy manner.

"A prophecy orb," she said softly.

Melinda looked at the girl and wondered if this was the Great Prophecy or if her luck was so bad that this was a completely different prophecy all together.

"Exactly," a drawling voice said from behind them. "Now... give me the orb Potter."

Everyone turned, spotting the maskless Malfoy Patriarch stepping from the shadows. Death Eaters slowly approaching behind him.

"Malfoy," Melinda said, and looked from the orb to him. "This is what he wants... isn't it?"

"Very good Potter," Malfoy said, smirking. "Now, give it to me."

"What is it exactly?" she asked, as if he'd never said anything.

Malfoy blinked, looking at her in amusement.

"Surely you jest. Did Dumbledore not tell his golden girl about this?"

Melinda glared.

"I am not, nor have I ever been his golden girl," she spat. "Lets just get that clear."

"Ooo, kitten has claws," a feminine, baby like voice spoke from the shadows and slowly came forward.

It was a woman, with a face that was most likely once beautiful but was now pale, and sunken from years of Azkaban.

Melinda could hear the sounds of hate coming from Neville and knew that this was Bellatrix LeStrange. She was the one responsible for Neville's parents. She was also Sirius' cousin if memory served right. The gray eyes which were nearly the same as Sirius', only insane proved this.

"Stay out of this Bella," Malfoy warned. "We are not to harm her, she is the Dark Lord's to kill."

Melinda glared.

"What is to stop me from smashing this right now?" Melinda asked, her hand tightening around the orb.

"You're bluffing," Malfoy sneered. "You want to know what is in that orb as much as he does."

Melinda stared emotionlessly. He was right, she did but she would smash it if she had too.

"You want to chance it?" she asked. "Now, where is Sirius?"

The Death Eaters did something that surprised her. They laughed.

"You..you can not be serious," Malfoy said. "Excuse my pun."

Bellatrix cackled.

"Poor itty bitty kitty, can't tell her dweams fwom weality," she said in a baby voice which grated on her nerves.

Melinda sneered.

"And someone can't pronounced their words properly," she said. "Were you this dumb before Azkaban or is this a new development?"

Bellatrix stopped mocking her at once and stepped closer, her eyes nearly ablaze with anger.

"You dare! You dare belittle me filthy half-blood!" she screeched.

Melinda had to smirk at the irony behind that sentence.

"Where is Sirius?" she asked again.

"Are you truly that slow Melinda Potter?" Malfoy began. "The Dark Lord knows your weaknesses Melinda, and he can use them. It wasn't as easy as he anticipated, but it was still simple enough to place a false vision into your mind. He knew you'd never leave your beloved godfather to suffer."

Melinda felt her blood turn to ice at this. She's been tricked so easily, Sirius had never been here. Kreacher had lied to her.

"Now, give me the orb," he said, holding out his hand and she stepped back, stepping on Hermione's foot.

"The orbs..." she muttered under her breathe, hoping Hermione and the others would understand. "Smash them."

"Oh, the little baby Potter is trying to be sneaky..." Bellatrix began, having heard the first whispered part.

Melinda raised the orb, as if to give it to Malfoy and then she flicked her right hand, and in what seemed to be a wandless spell sent the Death Eaters a few feet backwards.

In reality she'd used the wand to channel her telekinesis so it would be less suspicious.

"Smash the shelves," she muttered and the few members of the D.A present raised their wands and sent blasting spells at the shelves, causing an almost domino effect.

"You want the prophecy?" she yelled, raising it high. "Come and get it!"

"RUN!" Hermione urged everyone and they all turned and ran.

Eventually they got separated, but in the end they all came to be in one place... the veil room.

She wasn't sure what the veil was but it scared her. It reeked of power and...death maybe? She was no daughter of Hades, she couldn't truly be sure what it was. But it didn't lead to any paradise she was sure of that.

Hermione was leaning heavily on Neville, her chest having been cursed by a powerful dark spell. Thankfully Melinda had reacted in time to stop the spell from being fully powered. She'd cast a cutting curse at the Death Eater, which had managed to cut a gash in his throat area.

She wasn't sure if it had killed the man or not but the guilt was still there. Not overwhelming like if she'd killed a innocent mortal but still, the thought she'd just killed a human made her feel bad.

Luna had managed to avoid any serious injuries like Hermione – whom she'd used her pearl to heal as best she could. But the wound hadn't healed completely like it would if she'd used a full drop of the water, but it was to dangerous for Hermione, legacy of Athena or not.

Ginny had sprang her ankle, possibly broken it and was taking care of Ron. She hadn't the time to offer any water to them, and their wounds weren't really life threatening. Not to mention she wasn't sure the water could heal whatever had happened to Ron with those brains.

Neville's nose was also not life threatening and he'd politely turned down the water, telling her she shouldn't use it for something like his bloody, possibly broken nose.

The battle wasn't over yet. And unfortunately it wasn't turning out well for them, she couldn't even pull out Abyss or Tachýs, it wasn't like they'd work on them. Celestial bronze wouldn't work on mortals, not even wizards or witches who were still basically mortal.

She did have one back up weapon though that would work on mortals. Well, two actually but the Sickle from the tournament last year was hanging on her wall at home. In her boot though was a dagger, made from the tooth of the Chimera she'd killed in her third year.

"Neville, the orb!" she yelled as she was tackled from behind as she moved up the dias towards the arch. She tosed the orb, and watched with bated breath as the orb missed Neville's hands by cenimeters and shattered on the steps. She breathed out and then winced as she felt pain errupt in her face.

"You little bitch!" Malfoy spat and raised her fist back to hit her again.

Her eyes widened as a hand stopped the elder Malfoy's hand from moving back down. Malfoy looked up to see who'd grabbed him and was met with furious gray eyes.

"Get away from my goddaughter," Sirius hissed, hauling Malfoy Sr. off her and punching him in the face at the same time.

Melinda smirked as she saw the blond man fall onto the ground and hold his nose which appeared to be bleeding.

Sirius helped her up and she acted on instinct, hugging him.

"Thank the gods," Melinda muttered, pulling away. "I'm sorry Sirius, I thought he had you."

Sirius nodded.

"It's alright Mel," he said. "Now, we need to get you and the others out of here. But we'll have to fight out way out. You think you're up to it?"

Melinda smirked, and reached down, pulling the bone dagger from her boot and wielding it in her left hand. It was a wicked looking blade, that didn't really look like bone since she'd coated the blade in metal with Luna's help. The hilt was wrapped in leather with gold and silver woven in.

"Yeah," she said and Sirius nodded and the backed up and began to fight along with the rest of the order who'd arrived.

Melinda ducked a killing curse, and sent off a spell which wasn't exactly illegal but wasn't a light spell either. It cause temporary pain which would distract an opponent and she followed it with a stunning spell.

"Good one Melinda!" Sirius exclaimed, casting spells, some she didn't even recognize left and right.

Neither noticed that they were so close to the veil.

"Dammit," Melinda cursed as a slicing hex caught her in the arm.

She turned in time to notice another Death Eater trying to sneak up on her. She ducked the spell he sent her way, unsure of what it would have done, darted forward before he could move, and slashed at him with her dagger.

The wizard wasn't expecting that, and he fell off the edge of the dais area, the layout of this place really confused her at times. But it wasn't a long fall, but enough to knock the Death Eater out for a little while.

Melinda moved as a bright flash of purple caught her eye and watched as it sped past and hit the arch. Standing feet away on another raised floor of the veil room was Bellatrix.

"Can you fight me baby Potter?" Bella mocked.

"Bring it," Melinda sneered and twisted her wrist and sent a splintering curse at the woman.

Then a organ rupturing curse, followed by a dark exploding curse.

She wasn't playing to injure anymore. As cliché as it may sound, the kid gloves were off.

Bellatrix cackled.

"Baby Potter has some tricks up her sleeve," she said, hissing and twisting her wand.

Melinda barely dodged one of nastier curses, noticing Sirius was in a battle with two Death Eaters a few feet behind her.

"_Contero!"_ she hissed and smirked as she noticed the orange spell graze the woman's side, most likely resulting in fractured ribs. If hit fully it would have crushed them. Pity.

"_Exuro!"_

Melinda gasped as the spell hit her wand arm and her wand clattered to the ground, her arm burning from the pain. Even her connection to the water couldn't stop such a dark spell from burning her. It was almost as hot as hellfire. Almost.

"Melinda?"

She heard Sirius say and she turned to see he had turned towards her hearing her scream. He started coming towards her and from the corner of her eye she saw the blood red spell of the blood freezing curse coming towards her. She noticed many things in quick succession.

One, her arm hurt, really badly.

Two, Sirius was running towards her.

Three, Bellatrix was cackling happily.

Four, she was standing directly in front of the veil.

"Sirius," she muttered just as he crashed into her, sending her sideways onto the marble ground close to the steps.

It was like everything else stopped as the curse collided with Sirius, his face turning ashen and slightly blue as his blood was frozen. To make it worse she saw as he stumbled backwards and the misty curtains of the veil grabbed hold of him.

Melinda got to her feet, sound seeming to float by her. She saw Sirius try to say something but like everything else she heard nothing. She moved to run forward, her arm outstretched to grab him before he completely disappeared behind the veil but arms wrapped around her, pulling her back from under her armpits.

She screamed, she knew she was screaming but like everything else sound seemed to be gone.

"Lin! Lin it's too late, he's gone," she heard Remus yell.

She then realized he was the one who was holding her back.

"No,, he's only just gone through," she cried, and realized that she was indeed crying from the wet feeling on her cheeks.

"Melinda, I'm sorry. He's gone," he said softly, slowly releasing her and turning her around.

She felt numb, staring at Remus with tears falling slower. Before long there would be none to cry. He gripped her shoulders, his amber eyes gazing into her with determination.

"Listen to me Mel, don't do this right now. We have to stay focused," he said and she nodded.

He turned in time to throw a shielding charm to block a stray blasting hex. Bellatrix was now laughing wildly, she could hear this. It fueled her anger, she'd killed him.

"Mel," Neville said, limping up beside her.

She hadn't even noticed that Remus had joined the fight, or that she had been on autopilot as far as dodging spells that came her way, and being lucky enough not to be directly targeted.

"I'm sorry, about Sirius," he said and Mel just stared passed her as Tonks was struck down – hopefully temporally – by Bellatrix.

"I Killed Sirius Black, I killed Sirius Black!" the deranged woman yelled in a sing-song voice.

"She killed him," she muttered, bending down to pick up her dagger and flicking her wrist out to telekineticlly call her wand back to her. "She killed Sirius... **I'LL KILL HER!**"

The last part was yelled, causing some to turn and stare as she tore her arm from Neville's concerned hold and took off running after the cackling, singing LeStrange woman.

"Lin!"

She heard Remus call after her but she ignored him, she only wanted one thing.

She wanted to make Bellatrix pay, she wanted to let this uncontrollable rage out the only way she knew how right now. She wanted to cause the Death Eater pain. Even if it could never be a ounce of what she was feeling right now.

"Melinda?" Ginny asked as she passed and she kept her livid gaze locked on the hall in front of her.

She needed the exit, she needed to find Bellatrix. Now.

She wasn't to sure what Ginny, or Luna – who was currently with Ginny – were thinking but it didn't matter to her. What mattered was the door which appeared and led her into the Atrium.

Once there she saw Bellatrix running towards one of the fireplaces. Laughing.

"Crucio!" Melinda cried, placing all the hate, anger and will to cause this woman pain into the curse.

The curse hit Bellatrix in the back and she kept it up as she approached the woman who screamed loudly and fell to the ground. As she approached the woman had flopped around, resting on her butt, hands behind her, screaming.

Then the emotions just fled her and the curse fell, leaving Bellatrix on the ground, breathing hard and shaking lightly. She was smirking up at her, chuckling.

"Sunk so low, haven't you Potter? Who would have thought, the worlds savior... no better then me?" she said, laughing. "How did it feel Potter? Did it feel good to cause me pain, did it feel justified? Did it make you feel powerful?"

"Shut up," Melinda hissed, anger flooding back.

Her wand was still raised and pointed at her chest. Two words, she realized. Two words and both Sirius and Neville's parents would be avenged.

"She deserves it Melinda..." a voice whispered in her ear. "Just two little words, come on now. If you can cause pain like that Lin, you can end it all."

"He's not very happy with you is he?" Melinda began speaking, her laughter emotionless, sounding to much like Bellatrix for her own liking. "He knows you failed. Where is the prophecy Bella, did it smash?"

She found she liked mocking Bellatrix, but at her very core she also felt disgusted at herself. After fighting so hard with the right and the wrong of using the Cruciatus Curse she had finally done it. Successfully, and on a human being of all things.

"She killed him, didn't she Lin?" the voice whispered again. "Kill her, show her your pain."

Melinda gritted her teeth and spun around, coming face to face with a snake-like man who frequented her dreams. He'd been the one whispering in her ear, she realized as he slashed his wand and her wand went flying from her hand.

She didn't move a muscle as Voldemort shook his head, moving closer, his wand still raised.

"Tut tut Lin," he said. "Such talent, such a shame it has to go to waste."

"My lord," Bella began from behind her.

Voldemort glared towards the female Death Eater.

"Silence Bella!"

"She tells the truth about my prophecy, don't you Lin?" he asked. "You've been a thorn in my side for far to long Melinda, it's time I removed you."

Melinda didn't move. She didn't blink, she simply stood there as the green light left Voldemort's wand, lighting up her own green eyes to match the killing curse green of the spell.

Then, a statue appeared to block the spell and Melinda was brought back to reality moments later to find Dumbledore and Voldemort locked in a fight. She'd gone on autopilot again, so much so she barely recalled how she got on the ground behind Dumbledore who had Voldemort encased in a sphere of water.

The water, Melinda thought.

The sphere was released, and Voldemort was once again free. Melinda raised her hand, and drew the water up behind Voldemort. It acted to her will and formed into ice – a new trick she'd recently perfected (as much as humanly possible at least).

"What...Melinda?" Dumbledore asked, turning slightly to find that it was indeed her who was controlling the water. Voldemort noticed then too but it was to late. As he turned to stop the impending icicles a few got through a sliced into his body.

Fortunately for the Dark Lord they were the smaller icicles and nothing life threatening, unfortunately for them.

Dumbledore had no more time to question her as Voldemort sent a giant serpent of fire at them and Melinda noticed Bellatrix moving towards the fireplaces, trying to floo away.

She glared, she couldn't allow that.

She pulled her dagger back from her boot and gripped it tightly, and drew her arm back, concentrating on hitting her target and putting enough magic behind it to make it fly that far. Just as Dumbledore and Voldemort seemed to be at a stalemate she threw it.

Both Headmaster and Dark Lord noticed it fly past and it was almost like a scene out of a movie as it collided with Bellatrix's chest, nearly directly at her heart, as the woman turned to face them as she scooted the rest of the way to the floo.

She never made it all the way as her eyes widened and she fell back, the bone and silver dagger still in her chest. There was very little chest she'd lived more then a few seconds after it hit.

Voldemort screamed in rage and disappeared.

"Oh, Melinda..." Dumbledore began, staring at Bellatrix and then back to his student.

Melinda had slowly stood and was walking slowly towards him.

"What have you done?" he asked and she gulped, still rather numb.

Then she gasped, her eyes widening as she felt something push against her. Then in her head, it was like a bomb exploding and she screamed, falling to her knees. She could hear him now, in her head. She could feel him inside her, again.

She could almost remember a similar sensation from when she was twelve and had the diary but this felt worse. This was more invasive, it was painful. She was still conscious through this.

"Melinda, stay with me Melinda," she barely heard Dumbledore say, kneeling down beside her.

She was convulsing now, acting like something out of a bad exorcise movie. If she began puking split pea soup she'd start to worry. Then it felt as if her limbs were no longer hers. Like her mind was being pushed down, like her thoughts were his.

"Kill me now Dumbledore," she said, but it wasn't her. Her voice even sounded wrong, deeper.

Dumbledore stared at her in shock and through his bright blue eyes she saw her reflection. A nasty grin, and bright red, almost snake-like eyes.

She was being possessed by Voldemort, this time she wasn't sure she could come back from it. He was strong and she felt her conscious being pushed back even more as time went by.

"Please," Melinda managed to get out. "Please...kill me. I can't...I can't control him."

_'Melinda, don't give up,'_ she heard a deep voice in her mind. It wasn't Voldemort, it was her father. In her mind, her subconscious which she was nearly pushed down to she could almost see him.

_'Daddy?'_ she whispered.

The pain was inside her now, and maybe that was why she was being so...emotional. She'd only referred to her father as Daddy once before. True her relationship with Poseidon had improved over the years, slowly but he tried to be there when she needed him.

She knew he was busy and he couldn't exactly be there like a regular mortal father could. She'd come to accept that, but she wasn't prone to calling him anything more personal then dad.

'I'm hear little Pearl,' he said. 'Don't let him break you. This is your body Melinda, take it back. Remember Sirius, remember the good times. Remember those you love.'

Melinda cried, and did as her father suggested. Memories of the years she lived with Sirius and Remus floated back to her. Sirius setting the kitchen on fire the first night she'd moved in. trying to make them all dinner. She'd ended up putting it out with her powers and running to the nearest restaurant to grab so take out.

She saw the time she'd had with her friends. She even saw the few times before she realized who and what Tom was, how he'd understood her. Becoming a friend she could tell nearly everything. She saw the times she'd gotten to meet her father, and her grams. She held on to them, she saw them over and over again.

She felt the love she had for them all and then she was practically flung onto her back by what she couldn't tell was her or Voldemort's control of her body and black mist like particles escaped from her body and she was left staring up at a reformed Voldemort.

"You are a fool Melinda Potter," he spoke to her, waving his wand at her. "And you will loose...everything."

The it was like time began to move again and he was gone, but not before a group of Ministry officials arrived to see him. Including Cornelius Fudge.

**xXx**

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark one as his equal, but divine will __have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ..._

She hated prophecies. She hated how her life seemed to be led by a string of bad luck. Dumbledore had told her the prophecy almost directly after arriving from the Ministry. Her friends were alive but she'd lost more then any childlike innocence she may have had tonight. She'd lost her godfather.

She'd had no choice but to reveal her parentage to Dumbledore tonight as well. He'd seen her controlling that water, and he knew there was no way it had been any kind of wandless magic.

He'd been surprised, but said it explained a bit about what the prophecy meant by divine.

She laughed bitterly as she leaned back against the window seal, and continued to look out the window in the dorm room. She couldn't sleep, not after what had happened.

Two prophecies. One which was undoubtedly about her, the other about her or her little brother. Fate had a sick since of irony, or maybe life was just some cruel joke.

Dumbledore had mentioned contacting the Dursleys now that Sirius was dead. She would admit she'd thrown a giant temper tantrum and pretty much trashed his office worse then what she'd already done.

How dare he even suggest that.

She'd happily told him that there would be no need. That his will would clearly state that she was to be emancipated upon his death. Seeing as Remus, being a werewolf, was not eligible for sol guardianship.

Then she'd left, wanting nothing more to do with Dumbledore, or anyone at the time.

Right now, looking out at the coming dawn she couldn't help but wonder if anything was going to be worth it in the future. What did she have left?

_'You have us,'_ a voice whispered in her mind and she smiled.

It seemed, even when he shouldn't be risking contact, her father really did care enough to try and comfort her.

"I'm sorry Sirius," Melinda whispered into the night, hoping that he could hear it from where he was in the underworld.

She silently prayed as she drifted off to sleep that Hades would keep Sirius' soul safe on his journey into the afterlife. That he would be judged fairly, and that he'd see her mother and step-father again.


	21. The Years Before: Year Six

**AN: Sorry it took so long everyone, but here is the start of year six. There is possibly two more chapter for this year, maybe just one but I'm not certain yet. But I don't plan to spend loads of time on detail for the last two years. Three chapters at the most for year six and seven. I hope you all like this first chapter and I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner.  
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**I also want to thank everyone for the reviews. I never dreamed this story would be so popular but I am glad it is.  
**

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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 21: The Years Before: Year Six.**

It was official.

2004 was the worst year of her short, miserable life.

What exactly was being miserable without adding a bit of danger into her life. Truth be told Melinda didn't need to add any danger, just being in England was dangerous enough. But going to Greece... that was dangerous all by itself.

So close to her sixteenth birthday as well. She didn't know if the gods kept an eye on their homeland, but she hadn't really spent more then a few seconds thinking about the drawbacks of leaving England for a while.

Spending the two weeks she'd planned in Greece with another demigod may not have been her best idea, or the safest. But she needed to get away from England. Away from the memories of Sirius.

She'd even gone so far as to get Tonks to come to the house everyday to make sure Remus wasn't wallowing in self pity. The first week after Sirius died the they'd barely talked.

Remus hadn't even tried to stop her when she'd sat down in the chair across from him in the kitchen and took the bottle of Muggle alcohol off him, Bourbon.

she found she couldn't stand the light alcohols. Bear tasted like crap and those fruity drinks girls tended to frequent made her want to strangle whoever was closest because they were just too fruity or sweet or sour. The point was she preferred her firewhiskey, Bourbon, Whiskey or Vodka. She would turn down a good wine either.

Remus has always been the one to enforce the rules around Grimmauld Place. So to see him sit there and allow her to drink more then her fair share of bourbon had been strange. They didn't even talk the time, they just sat there and drank.

The next morning they woke up in the living room, her on the couch and Remus sprawled out on the coffee table.

That's went the damn broke and they'd begun to talk to each other.

The next day she made plans and was on her way to getting out of England for two weeks, from July 30th until August 12th.

Dasha was back from Camp early this year (she'd graduated from Arcadia after the Twi-wizard Tournament) and had offered her a place to stay. Getting on a plane wasn't an option despite Zeus not currently being aware of her. So she'd had to wait a while for a legal international Portkey.

A round trip, she'd leave at five on July 30th and return to England at five on August 12th.

"I'm glad you made it in one piece," Dasha said, smirking as she grabbed one of Melinda's carry on bags and ushered her inside the small house.

Melinda already felt lighter. For the first time since Sirius' death she smiled sincerely.

The house was beautiful, decorated in earthy tones and lots of white, creams and silvers. Then the reds, blues and green thrown around. It was easy enough to believe Dasha was a daughter of Demeter but with a sense of fashion and décor that might make a child of Aphrodite jealous.

The house itself was two floors, two bathrooms, a large living area and kitchen, a back yard with a patio which connected to the kitchen. She learned this was where Dasha ate most her meals when she had guest. There was also Dasha's room on the second floor which was out in the open.

Sort of like a hotel would be since you walked up the stairs and beside a door to the left which led to the full bath there was simply her bedroom to the right. Since she lived alone Melinda assumed she wasn't to worried about privacy a door might give her.

The quest room and second full bath was on the first floor, despite how small it looked on the outside it was much bigger on the inside. She had to admit, she was jealous.

Grimmauld Place had been fixed up over the years but it felt nothing like this place with it's open rooms and windows. There was one whole wall in the living area which was just a big window. The same could be said for Dasha's room and the wall over looking the back yard patio in the kitchen.

Of course they were covered by golden brown curtains during the night and if one of them wasn't in a room.

"So, where is Sesha?" Dasha asked that evening, the night before her birthday she vaguely realized. "You don't usually go anywhere without her."

Melinda smiled, and accepted the wine glass from her friend.

"I left her with Remus. International Portkey travel isn't something Sesha is fond of, Portkeys at all really. I decided it was for the best she stay at Grimmauld, to make sure Remus didn't drink himself to death."

Dasha frowned.

"Didn't you arrange for someone to check on him?" she asked and Melinda chuckled, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," Melinda choked out. "It's just the way you said that, makes it sound like he's a child or a pet."

Dasha chuckled, seeing were that might be assumed.

"I did, Tonks. She's an Auror, I don't think you ever met her." Melinda pushed her food around with the fork and sighed. "She was Sirius cousin, she didn't take his... death to well either."

"You told me about her I think, in your last letter," Dasha said. "How are you holding up?"

Melinda looked into dark eyes and shook her head.

"You'd think I'd bee handling it. I've had people die on me before. My parents, Cedric...but I just wasn't expecting to loose Sirius so soon. I only got three years with him, how is that fair?" Her green eyes were filled with tears by the time she'd stopped talking and Dasha gave her a look of understanding.

"The life of a Demigod is never lucky Melinda," she began. "Those around us have a tendency to get hurt or killed. Cedric was almost expected, at any time, because he was a demigod. And we tend to die before adulthood. We're cursed that way."

Dasha licked her dry lips and continued.

"But when those who are just mortal. Who we've gotten to know and love get caught in the crossfire... it hurts more. Because we never thought it'd be them. We never stopped to think that they could be next."

Melinda nodded and laughed bitterly.

"Add in the whole chosen one thing, and being on Voldemort's hit list..." Melinda trailed off as she shook her head. "At least I got that bitch in the end."

Dasha smirked.

"I heard about that. International news, Bellatrix LeStrange nee Black, killed by Girl-Who-Lived in Ministry Battle. That my friend is what we call justice."

Melinda laughed and raised her glass to meet Dasha's in a toast like manner.

"To Karma like Justice," Melinda said.

"Ditto," Dasha returned and they finished their dinner in near silence.

Over the next two weeks they talked, and Dasha led her around Greece. They were in Ithaca, where Dasha actually lived and were Arcadia was located, but they were easily able to get to other places in Greece.

Her favorite stop had to be Athens, and the Parthenon.

She knew her father and Athena always had a rivalry and there was bad blood between them, but that didn't mean Melinda couldn't respect Athena.

She remembered a long time ago she'd been asked by her father what her favorite part of a book she'd been telling him about was. She recalled rambling on about The Big Three domain choosing and how she like the story of how Athena was born.

Athena was one of her favorite Goddesses, along with Hestia, and Artemis. She had nothing against the other goddesses though. They were all important in their own way.

They talked about their personal lives and Dasha told her what was new at Camp Half-Blood. She wished she could go but she knew it was still too dangerous. Not only was she in the middle of a war in England but going to Camp was something final.

It would have made it easier for the gods to look at her and figure out who she was. Being sixteen made this a very bad idea.

As for her birthday, she'd been sixteen for over a week before she even begun to think about the Great Prophecy. She might be part of the prophecy but she really didn't think she was the one who would determine the fate of Olympus. She was far to busy determining how to save the Wizardry world.

Besides, there was more then a slight chance she'd never see eighteen at this rate. Neither can live while the other survives... that sounded pretty kill or be killed to her.

Another great thing about staying with Dasha was being able to visit Arcadia. Arcadia was a year round type school in the way it housed students who had nowhere else to go. Like orphans. So there were professors there years round.

One of them being the Dark Arts instructor. Dasha hadn't taken to the subject while she was a student but had taken the class in her second year but dropped it the following year.

Without Sirius to help her with her studies into the Dark Arts she'd begun wondering if she should go any further. Being able to go to Arcadia and talk to the professor there on the subject helped her greatly.

He'd even give her some editions of the subject which you couldn't find anywhere but Greece – seeing as Greece was one of the very few who didn't class Dark Arts as Illegal.

Melinda also talked about her life since they'd last talked. Besides the obvious grief of Sirius death she had to explain to Dasha about the faint scar on her left hand. I must not tell lies.

Dasha hadn't been impressed by her retelling of Umbridge. She had gotten the last laugh though. Through testimony of those forced to write with the Blood Quill, and her own evidence she'd stowed away, she'd gotten Umbridge fired and sentenced to a year in Azkaban for the use of an illegal instrument to punish minors.

One of the very few highlights of the year.

The other being the public's outrage that Fudge had refused to believe Voldemort was back for a whole year and lost valuable time. It was like they were blind to the fact they'd ignored the truth as well. Needless to say Fudge had been voted out, and would be returning as Minister. There was currently a vote going on, she put her money on Amelia Bones.

In the end Melinda was never more relieved that she'd taken this vacation of sorts.

**xXx**

"You can not be serious Albus!" Molly exclaimed. "She's just went through an ordeal. What she needs is to be talked to, to be protected. She's only sixteen!"

"Molly, I think we've had this talk before," Remus snapped, his eyes narrowed at the Weasley Matriarch. She was a lovely woman, but she was just so overbearing at times.

He continued after a second. "Melinda is not a child, she'd legally an adult in the eyes of the Ministry. I think it's time she was allowed to join the Order."

"I agree," Fred said and his mother scowled at him.

"Of course you would Fred," Molly said, sighing. "I know she isn't a child but she needn't be involved in this."

"I appreciate the sentiment Molly, but I think it's up to me what I want to do."

Everyone turned to the doorway where a very familiar figure stood. She didn't look much different from when they'd last seen her, but she appeared to have grown a little more, standing at 5'6, probably as tall as she'd ever get.

Her hair was a little longer, and was set in loose curls, more so then was natural for her to have. Her skin was a little tanner, like she'd spent the last two weeks in a lot of sunlight. Not that she wasn't naturally pretty tan. She wore a pair of dark skinny jean, a royal blue shirt and a black knee length cardigan.

"Lin!" Fred exclaimed, standing and walking over to pull the smaller girl into a tight hug.

"Hey, I missed you," Melinda said, leaning up to kiss her boyfriend.

It was a quick kiss, neither wanting to give the other Order members a show. Though she didn't miss the looks some gave them. Looks of happiness at seeing them together, the kind old people tended to give young couples.

"Ah, I'm happy to see you've returned," Dumbledore said, standing to greet her. "How was your trip?"

Melinda looked at the old man, noticing almost instantly the hand which was withered, like it was dying. She frowned as she walked to the table, taking a seat beside Fred who took her hand into his. He'd been worried about her since the Ministry Battle.

"It was refreshing," she replied. "What's this about exactly?"

"Albus here believes it's about time you were brought into the Order of the Phoenix lass," Mad-Eye said, rather bluntly but Melinda found that was one of the things that she liked about Mad-Eye. He didn't pussy-foot around about things, he simply said it like it was.

"That means I'll actually be told something, instead of kept in the dark about things?" Melinda asked, raising an eyebrow at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed and nodded.

"I made a mistake by placing you with your relatives fifteen years ago. I made another mistake by not reocgnizing you as able to handle the destiny fate has placed upon you. I won't make another mistake by not giving you the tools to allow you to defeat Tom."

Melinda twitched a little, she didn't like to refer to Voldemort as Tom. To her Tom had been a misunderstood boy without any guidance. This led him to paths he might not have gone if his past were different. Voldemort was a monster, there was nothing of Tom Riddle left in him.

"Good," she said. "So, what's first?"

Moody chuckled.

"That's the attitude lass," Moody praised. "Always be willing to start at a moments notice."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, first we'll conclude this meeting with some news. It seems Voldemort attacked the Bones family On August 10th," Dumbledore began.

"Are they alright?" Hestia Jones asked. She was a woman maybe a little older then Remus with long black hair and violet/blue eyes.

"Yes, yes. Unfortunatley Amelia was having a dinner with some of her cousins. I'm sure you recall Elmer Bones and his two children, Gretchen and Grayson."

"Squibs, weren't they?" another order member inquired.

"Yes indeed. Elmer himself wasn't, he was a wizard. Once part of the Ministry in Russia where he and his family fled when Voldemort rose to power. His two children on the other hand were squibs, tragic that." Dumbledore shook his head. "I digress though. Amelia had them over and Elmer, Gretchen and Grayson Bones were all killed in the attempt assianation of Amelia and Susan Bones."

"Terrible," Molly said sighing.

"But Madam Bones and Susan are alright?" Melinda asked.

"Very, dear girl," Dumbledore assured. "Amelia was hurt in the attack but I believe it was thanks to a certerian illegal club last year Susan was able to hold the Death Eaters off until their house elf, Mindy, could pop them to St. Mungos."

Melinda looked down some, her face flushing at the attention this brought her.

"I believe it best it some of the Order attempts to protect Amelia Bones until after the Minster election is over. I think that was his motivation for killing her, she is a light witch and would shatter some of his hold over the Ministry," he said and everyone nodded in agreement to this.

"Now, I do believe the only other topic is for the coming school year." He folded his hands in front of him as he spoke. "Security will be very tight this year, to avoid any accidents. Also, Melinda, I would like to set up a meeting, each Saturday I think will do. To go over some things you should know. Training to help you in the future."

"Why would she need such training Albus?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked.

Albus looked at Melinda and then towards the others and sighed.

"I suppose it has been kept to myself for long enough," he began. "She needs these lessons because only she can defeat Lord Voldemort..."

Melinda pretty much drowned the rest out. She already knew the Prophecy, she didn't need to hear it again.

**xXx**

_::Mistress, wake up. It's nearly time for the redheaded-banshee to start her rounds.:: _a voice hissed next to her ear and Melinda groaned.

_::Mistress! MISTRESS!:: _Melinda jumped straight up in bed, clutching her cover to her chest. Looking to her right she saw the large familiar snake – Sesha.

_::Sesha, what was that about?:: _she asked, using her left hand to rub the sleep from her eyes.

_::If you don't want the redheaded-banshee to barge in and find you and the red-twin then you should wake up now.:: _

Melinda blinked and then looked to the clock which was on the nightstand on her left. Beside her still sprawled on his stomach, his arm under the pillow and the covers bunched down around his waist was Fred.

5:30 was in large red numbers and she sighed.

"Fred," she muttered, placing her hand on his bare back. "Wake up."

Fred groaned and turned some, as if trying to shake her off. She rolled her eyes and slapped his back hard enough to leave a small red mark and make the Weasley twin shoot up and fall off the bed onto the floor, taking the covers with him.

She laughed, but shivered at the cold morning air which drifted against her bare flesh.

"What was that!?" Fred asked, sitting up on the floor and placing his elbows on the bed to peer over and up at her.

"I tried to wake you gently," Melinda said, throwing her legs over her side of the bed and getting up.

She wasn't all that surprised to find she was kind of sore. This would be the first time she or Fred had ever gone that far, and she'd heard from other gossips in the girls dorm that it hurt.

She reached over and grabbed her lavender colored robe from the chair that was next to the nightstand on her side of the bed.

"We needed to get up though. I return to Hogwarts today and if you're in here, in bed with me... naked, then your parents – more so you mom – are going to kill us both." She put the robe on as she spoke, tying it around the waist to keep it closed.

Fred's eyes widened and he shot up, and Melinda had to back bite laughter as the redhead scurried around her room looking for his clothes in his birthday suit. Five minutes later Melinda was standing in her doorway, kissing her boyfriend goodbye.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Fred said, tucking a strand of her wavy/curly hair behind her ear. "I'll miss you."

Melinda grinned.

"I'll miss you too," she said, giving him a quick kiss. "Now go, Molly could make her rounds at any moment now."

Melinda laughed softly as she watched Fred dart off towards the room he and George were staying in. once he was out of sight she closed her door and went about grabbing her clothes for the day and heading for the bathroom connected to her room.

She was happy now, but in the back of her mind Melinda knew it was too good to last. Sooner or later her yearly bad luck was going to catch up to her. And for the first time in a long time she dreaded going back to Hogwarts.


	22. The Years Before: Year Six II

**AN: So here is the next part. Sorry it took so long, but it's here now. The next part will cover the rest of year six and then we'll finish it up with year seven. Then we're off to camp. Yay! Anyways I want to thank everyone for reviewing and I hope you enjoy the chapter.  
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**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 22: The Years Before: Year Six II. **

"So..." Ron trailed off. "Slughorn, what's he like? Anything like Snape?"

Melinda shook her head as she propped her legs up and across Neville and Luna's laps. Hermione and Ron sat across from them. Melinda's back was pressed against the wall and window of the train, the metal slightly cold through her thin long sleeved gray shirt.

"Nothing like Snape," she assured them.

She wouldn't have even known that Slughorn would take over Potions this year if it were not for being in the Order, and Tom. One of the few things school related they discussed back in her second year had been Potions.

He'd told her about Slughorn and how he wished she'd have the privilege of having such a unbiased teacher. She wasn't sure if he was truly sincere by that point or if he was just playing her at the time of that conversation.

"He's a bit collective of his more talented students. But he's pretty harmless for a Slytherin, as far as violence goes. But I think if push comes to shove he'd be able to become a formidable enemy," Melinda said, and her friends nodded, taking that all in.

"How was the Prefect meeting?" Neville asked, changing the subject.

It had been more then a shock when Melinda hadn't been chosen as a Prefect, and Ron had. It wasn't like there had never been a case of house prefects both being girls, but it was rare. Hermione had been expected though.

Melinda wasn't upset, she'd been made captain of the Quidditch Team and she didn't think she had the time or the patience to be a Prefect and Quidditch Captain at the same time.

At least her O.W.L scores had been pretty good.

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**

**Pass Grades:**

**Outstanding (O)**

**Exceeds Expectations (E)**

**Acceptable (A)**

**Fail Grades:**

**Poor (P)**

**Dreadful (D)**

**Troll (T)**

**Melinda Pearl Potter has achieved:**

**Ancient Runes: O  
**

**Astronomy: E**

**Care of Magical Creatures: O**

**Charms: O**

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: O**

**Herbology: A**

**History of Magic: D**

**Potions: O**

**Transfiguration: E**

She'd worked really hard to get an O in Potions, and she'd known since the beginning of her fifth year that if she didn't do everything in near perfection Snape would find some way to fail her.

Over all she had been happy with her O.W.L.S.

Everyone's attention was brought to the compartment door as it slid open. Standing outside it was Draco, his hair around ear length and like previous years without the gel crap he once used. He wore a black suit obviously of wizard style.

"Malfoy," Ron snapped, sneering. "What do you want?"

Draco glared at him and Melinda sighed. When they'd gone to get their school supplies Hermione and Ron had overreacted upon seeing him there. Ron was convinced Draco was a Death Eater, and while Melinda was sure he most likely had the dark mark she wasn't convinced he was a true Death Eater.

"Stay in your own business Weasel," the blond spat and then turned to her, his eyes softening slightly. "I need to talk to you Mel... alone."

Melinda looked at her friend and swung her feet back onto the ground and stood.

"Mel," Neville said, drawing her attention. "Maybe you shouldn't go."

Melinda smiled lightly.

"I'll be fine Nev," Mel said. "I trust Draco. I'll see you guys in a few minutes."

Melinda slid the door closed behind her and followed Draco into a deserted compartment and watched as he placed a locking charm and silencing charm over the room. To anyone else they'd be worried, but to Mel it wasn't anything to bat an eyelash at.

Draco was a Slytherin and she had a feeling she knew what this was about.

"So talk to me Dray," Mel said, sitting down across from in. "Something's bugging you big time."

"How was Greece?" he asked, avoiding her eyes.

Melinda chuckled lightly.

"Nice try, but no dice," she said. "Come Draco, whatever it is you can tell me. I've never not listened have I?"

Draco sighed.

"I'm in a rut Mellie, and I'm worried about what it'll do to Luna."

Not many realized or paid much attention to the fact Draco hadn't taken Luna to the Yule Ball out of pity and a wish not to have to resort to Pansy Parkinson. He really did like the dreamy girl, the fact that she was considered a Pureblood.

Seeing as no one knew Selena Lovegood wasn't her biological mother helped people over look the fact that Draco Malfoy was dating Loony Lovegood.

Melinda sighed and reached for Draco's left arm. He didn't even stop her as she gripped it and pushed the sleeve up. She closed her eyes and shook her head as she saw the dark mark on his forearm.

Opening her eyes she saw the regret and disgust in Draco's eyes. She knew then he hadn't wanted this and she hadn't thought he did. She knew Voldemort was full of tricks and after the Ministry Battle and Lucius being caught... Voldemort would have been furious.

Especially sense Bellatrix, his most loyal Death Eater had died that same day. He would blame her for that but since he couldn't exactly get to her he'd go to the closest source to let his anger out on. The Malfoy's that remained free.

This was punishment.

"Why?" she asked, knowing she had to be sure of her suspicious.

"I didn't have a choice," he said, his voice cracking. "I swear to you Mel, I never wanted this. You're my friend and I promised to stand beside you after fourth year. I wanted to keep that promise and I told him no, I told my father I wouldn't become a Death Eater. He wasn't exactly happy but he didn't force it, I guess he thought I was young and would change my mind. The Dark Lord doesn't initiate those under seventeen... usually."

Melinda nodded, letting him know she was listening.

"Then he got caught, sent to Azkaban. My Aunt Bellatrix... well I think you know what happened with her."

Melinda bit the inside of her cheek but was relieved Draco didn't resent or hate her for killing his aunt and

getting his father thrown into Azkaban.

"He was angry, and during the summer he came to the manner. We had no choice but to let him in. He wasn't kind, and he asked me how I felt about redeeming my family in his eyes. I told him I didn't want anything to do with being a Death Eater, he didn't react kindly. My mother begged him to give me more time to consider, and he turned on her. Casting the Cruciatus on her."

Draco shuddered as he recalled the events.

"He said if I didn't join him he'd kill my mother... and Luna. He knew about Luna, I don't know if he knows I'm your friend or not."

Melinda swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

"If he didn't mention it then there is a chance he doesn't know. During the Ministry battle he possessed me, I don't know exactly what he saw in my mind before I expelled him. If he saw and remembers anything, Dumbledore said the shock of my emotions... love, startled him," Melinda began.

"It hurt him more then any physical curse could have at the time. The shock alone might have jumbled his mind some, forcing some of what he learned to be forgotten. It's just a theory though, he hasn't made contact through our link since then, so I don't know." she finished, running a hand through her hair.

"What am I going to do?" Draco asked after a drawled out awkward silence.

Melinda licked her dry lips before answering, "You could always go to Dumbledore."

"Yeah," Draco scoffed. "I don't trust that man as far as I could throw his bowl of lemon drops. Can you tell me you do?"

She grimaced.

"Okay, not exactly a great idea, but it may be the only idea or choice we have in the end," she said. "You mentioned a task he had for you. What is it?"

Draco hesitated but after a minute he broke under her gaze.

"I was to get some of his Death Eaters into the castle through the banishing cabinet. There is one in Knockturn Alley and one at Hogwarts. The one at Hogwarts needs to be fixed, it's supposedly in the Room of Requirement. Then I was to kill Albus Dumbledore."

Melinda's eyes widened.

"Oh, that isn't good."

**xXx**

"You told her!" Severus Snape raged, slamming his hands down on the table in front of him. "You told the number one enemy of the Dark Lord... everything!?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow at the former Potions master as she leaned against the wall next to the bookcase like shelves. She was very unimpressed with this all. She had been the one to suggest they find a common ally.

She hadn't expected Draco to choose Snape of all people.

Apparently he was trying to help Draco and his mother. Something about an unbreakable vow between Severus and Narcissa Malfoy. Severus' end of the vow was to do everything in his power to make sure Draco succeeded.

Something told her if Severus knew then Dumbledore knew. It was all connected to her lessons, to his withered hand, and to Draco's mission.

"Yeah, I did," Draco said almost meekly. "She can help. I don't know exactly what she keeps to herself but I do trust her. She's been my friend since first year, if it wasn't for Mel I wouldn't be so against being a Death Eater today. I don't think."

Severus looked at his godson and then over to the daughter of his deceased friend. Lily had been his only true friend before he'd messed it all up. It was sort of ironic, but the two reminded him of himself and Lily.

"He's right you know, I can help," she said.

"And what can you do that Dumbledore, or I can not Ms. Potter?" Severus drawled, a sneer forming on his face.

Melinda pushed off the wall and uncrossed her arms. Walking over to stand beside Draco she shrugged halfheartedly.

"I think I can protect his mother," she said.

Draco's head snapped up.

"But I'm gonna need some help with something," Melinda added.

Severus sneered, his eyes narrowed. Sometimes this girl was more a snake them a lion and it always seemed to catch him by surprise.

"And what is that?"

"A book. When I was in Greece I mentioned something to the Dark Arts professor there," she started, shocking Draco but not Severus. The former Potions Professor simply arched an eyebrow.

"Yes, I've heard of your... hobbies. The Potter black sheep, your father would be rolling in his grave I'm sure."

She glared.

"He told me of a book, very rare which had the information I needed. He said one of the copies could be found in Hogwarts, but I've looked... it's not there. _Magick Most Evile_," she said Snape's eyes widen marginally as if he recognized the tittle and she continued. "He said for more detail I'd have to go back to the dark ages since any books on the subject were outlawed in the late 1600s and burned by the Ministry in England during the 1800s.

"I know the book, it's in the Headmasters office. Having been removed from the library years ago. What exactly are you looking into Potter? That book isn't called most evil for nothing."

Melinda's lips formed a tight line.

Did she really want to tell him? She'd kept it to herself for years now, mostly because she didn't want to tell how she'd come by the knowledge. At first because no one knew her heritage. Then after third year it was mostly because she was searching by herself. By fourth year she had the tournament to deal with.

Fifth year she wasn't exactly herself and then the Ministry battle... she was procrastinator at times and it came back to bite her in the ass. Not to mention she was nearly as fatal with her own pride as she was with Temptation.

It was her fault a lot of things happened like they did. If only she'd recalled Sirius words during Christmas more clearly. She hadn't thought Voldemort would come at her like he had and she'd trusted Kreacher to easily.

She hadn't even thought about the mirror from Poseidon which if she put some magic behind might be able to connect to Grimmauld's mirrors. But then Grimmauld wasn't only Unplottable it was under a Fidelius spell. That might have shot the connection to Hades if she'd tried.

She couldn't be stupid with what she knew anymore. Dumbledore wasn't exactly someone she trusted but neither was Snape. But she trusted Draco and if he trusted Snape then so would she.

"Horcruxes. I was looking for entries on Horcruxes."

She'd never seen Snape's eyes so big. Then he turned angry.

"What would you need with that information?" he snapped.

"I have... reason to believe that Voldemort has made a few."

"A few?" Draco asked, sort of confused on what his friend was talking about.

"Seven," she said. "I don't know what they are, besides the diary from my second year. It's one reason why I never told anyone, even if I could explain how I knew it would take more then a little effort to find out what exactly they were and to then find them."

Snape contemplated this and sighed.

"If he has Horcruxes, which if what Dumbledore has let me privy to is correct then he does, then we'll need to know more. I'll see about getting that copy of Magick Most Evile from Albus." Severus sighed, shaking his head. "Now about Narcissa, you said something about protection."

She nodded her head.

"I'm the owner of a home under Fidelius...she can stay there. She's a Black by birth so Kreacher has to listen to her, but I swear, if she betrays my trust..."

"She won't," Draco reassured. "My mother never believed in what my father was doing with the Death Eaters. She isn't the muggles or muggleborns biggest fan but she's no psycho."

"Contact her as discretely as you can Draco," Severus said. "Get her to meet you in Hogsmeade... Potter and I will take care of it from there."

"When?" Draco asked.

"The first Hogsmeade weekend," she said. "As for your problem... I'll help you fix the cabinet... we'll wing it from there. I'm assuming Dumbledore already knows about all this?"

"The plot against his life... he's aware," Snape said.

"And what's his plan? What's he doing?" Draco demanded.

Severus shook his head and looked at the two students.

"Nothing," he said. "He plans to die. He's dying already...a curse he suffered this summer. But he has no intentions of Draco doing the deed."

Melinda looked at the man and studied him, thinking about what she already knew.

She sighed.

"He plans for you to do it... doesn't he?"

Silence was her only answer.

**xXx**

Hogwarts truly hadn't changed all that much sense the last year.

She could focus a bit more on class this year, but then Voldemort wasn't constantly sending her visions or emotions through her scar. Sense that night she and Draco had went to Snape things had been set into motion.

She was rethinking every move she'd mad in the last five years and rethinking every choice. She could have prevented so much just by being a bit more open. Instead of pushing some information to the back of her mind or remembering it too late.

For Olympus' sake she hoped her brother was the child of prophecy because at this rate she'd forget something important and doom Olympus in the process. As it was she felt like she was doing a piss poor job at being the chosen one in this world.

Most of all she was scared... no she was terrified.

All she wanted to do right now was to run and hide, she didn't want to be a hero, she didn't want to save the world. She just wanted to be normal, to be able to rest for once. But obviously fate wasn't on her side.

Classes were like they'd always been. Some things were more tense, with the knowledge that Voldemort was back being confirmed. The biggest difference had to be Potions. A class she'd tried her best to excel at yet hated for the fact she had to put up with Snape.

Now her favorite class, DADA, was being run by Snape. This meant one thing, Defense was quickly becoming her most hated class.

"Okay, so we all know the rules of the game," Melinda called as she stood on the Quidditch pitch. "Any first years need to leave the pitch now, though they're welcome to watch from the stands."

"Oh man," she heard some mutter and nearly a dozen of the ones trying out scattered.

She chuckled, feeling sort of bad for them. She'd been on the team as a first year, she never really understood why that rule was even a rule. It had never caused any problems with her.

"I told you she'd notice."

"Shut up Ike!"

Melinda shook her head and turned back to the twenty or so now left. A lot more then she'd thought had showed up, mostly of the male gender.

"Now, I'd like to try out the Keepers first, the Chasers and finally seekers. Remember that most will be the reserve team as we only a have a few spots open currently," Melinda explained.

It was organized chaos.

By the end of it she had the biggest headache, and was ready to scream. Why had she agreed to this again? Oh, she had no choice, she was the Captain. Katie had been right about holding the tryouts on a Friday the week after term began, and tomorrow would be the first lesson with Dumbledore.

She didn't know if she was looking forward to it or not. She never knew what to expect from the old man.

**xXx**

Melinda breathed in as she was once again outside the pensive. That had been informative, though also not what she'd expected. When she'd heard about this lessons she didn't think it was going to be seeing memories. The memories led her into things about Tom she hadn't known but she didn't see how it would help her.

She knew that Tom and Voldemort really were not the same person. At least not since he'd created that diary. That was the point were Voldemort was truly born and Tom Riddle was left in the past. Anything good about him had died with that diary.

"What happened to the girl in the cottage? Merope?" Melinda asked at once.

She was nearly positive Merope was Tom's mother. They shared some features, though Tom had not gotten the deformity she'd seen in the Gaunts. What really had her thinking though was the locket she'd seen around Merope's neck. That locket was so familiar, like she'd seen it before. But where?

Dumbledore lit extra lamps with a flick of his wand, pulling her from her thoughts.

They didn't kill her, did they."

It wasn't a question, Melinda already knew it was obvious she had to survive. Otherwise Tom wouldn't have been born to become Voldemort.

"Oh, she survived," said Dumbledore, re-seating himself behind his desk and motioning for Melinda to sit down as well.

"Ogden Apparated back to the Ministry and returned with reinforcements within fifteen minutes. Morfin and his father attempted to fight, but both were overpowered, removed from the cottage, and subsequently convicted by the Wizengamot," Dumbledore began explaining.

"Morfin, who already had a record of Muggle attacks, was sentenced to three years in Azkaban. Marvolo, who had injured several Ministry employees in addition to Ogden, received six months."

"Marvolo?" Melinda muttered. "Merope is Tom's mother then."

"That's right, she was," said Dumbledore, smiling in approval. "I am glad to see you're keeping up."

"That old man was his grandfather, and Morfin his uncle," she said and Dumbledore nodded.

"Voldemort's grandfather and his uncle, yes," said Dumbledore. "Marvolo, his son, Morfin, and his daughter, Merope, were the last of the Gaunts, a very ancient Wizarding family noted for a line of instability and violence that flourished through the generations due to their habit of marrying their own cousins."

Melinda frowned.

"That can't be the only reason," Melinda said, scoffing. "All Pureblooded families are related one way or another. Many marry their cousins. Sirius' mother married hers, and I'm sure the Potter's did their fair share of it as well."

Dumbledore gave her a surprised look but nodded.

"I suppose that is true, but mostly Purebloods marry second cousins, there are exceptions. I suppose the Gaunts simply took it to the extremes. First cousins, I think I've even read a few half-siblings through the years, and what not."

It was obvious Dumbledore was keeping more of the gory details under wraps, probably thinking her to naive, or sensitive for such things.

"Of course generations ago they did marry into other Pureblooded families, but eventually paranoia got the better of them and they kept it mostly in the family."

Dumbledore shook his head as if thinking of it brought him sadness.

"Lack of sense coupled with a great liking for grandeur meant that the family gold was squandered several generations before Marvolo was born. He, as you saw, was left in squalor and poverty, with a very nasty temper, a fantastic amount of arrogance and pride, and a couple of family heirlooms that he treasured just as much as his son, and rather more than his daughter."

"Merope was Tom's mother, but who was his father? How did that work out, I thought he was a muggle and I can't see Marvolo or Morfin allowing that," Melinda inquired.

"She was," said Dumbledore. "And it so happens that we also had a glimpse of Voldemort's father. I wonder whether you noticed him or not?"

Melinda had a thoughtful look on her face before realizing.

"The man Morfin attacked, the one on the horse," Melinda said. "Of course, the two could have been brothers they looked so similar."

"Very good indeed," said Dumbledore, beaming. "Yes, that was Tom Riddle senior, the handsome Muggle who used to go riding past the Gaunt cottage and for whom Merope Gaunt cherished a secret, burning passion."

"And they ended up married?" Melinda said in disbelief. Merope truly wasn't that bad looking, she could have been pretty but she couldn't see Tom Riddle sr. giving poor Merope the time of day.

"I think you are forgetting, dear girl," said Dumbledore, "that Merope was a witch. I do not believe that her magical powers appeared to their best advantage when she was being terrorized by her father. Once Marvolo and Morfin were safely in Azkaban, once she was alone and free for the first time in her life, then, I am sure, she was able to give full rein to her abilities and to plot her escape from the desperate life she had led for eighteen years."

"I don't blame her," she said, thinking of how she'd wanted nothing more then to escape from her relatives for the years she'd lived with them.

She was luckier then Merope had been though, she had gotten her wish and was able to live with two people who loved her. Now she could live on her own, being emancipated, even though she still lived with Remus.

"Can you not think of any measure Merope could have taken to make Tom Riddle forget his Muggle companion, and fall in love with her instead?"

"The Imperius Curse, but even without her father and brother to torment her, that she could power that spell for as long as she needed," Melinda began. "A love potion? Slughorn was teaching us of Amortentia last week, it seems to fit the obsessive passion Merope seemed to have for Tom Sr."

"Very good. Personally, I am also inclined to think that she used a love potion. After all, potion making isn't an exact magic. I am sure it would have seemed more romantic to her, and I do not think it would have been very difficult, some hot day, when Riddle was riding alone, to persuade him to take a drink of water," Dumbledore began.

"In any case, within a few months of the scene we have just witnessed, the village of Little Hangleton enjoyed a tremendous scandal. You can imagine the gossip it caused when the squire's son ran off with the tramp's daughter, Merope."

"I bet Marvolo just loved that," Melinda said sarcastically.

Dumbledore chuckled shortly and shook his head.

"The villagers' shock was nothing to Marvolo's, you are correct. He returned from Azkaban, expecting to find his daughter dutifully awaiting his return with a hot meal ready on his table. Instead, he found a clear inch of dust and her note of farewell, explaining what she had done." Dumbledore seemed positive of this turn of events. "He was in a right rage I'm sure."

"From all that I have been able to discover, he never mentioned her name or existence from that time forth. The shock of her desertion may have contributed to his early death — or perhaps he had simply never learned to feed himself. Azkaban had greatly weakened Marvolo, and he did not live to see Morfin return to the cottage."

"And Merope?" Melinda asked, sadness obvious in her tone and eyes.

Dumbledore was almost worried. He hadn't realized until she had stood next to the memory of Merope Gaunt just how alike the two girls were. Both had bad home lives, but that was basically where the similarities ended. Unless you saw the fact they both had names starting with M.E.

"She died didn't she? Tom was placed in an orphanage and she didn't seem like the type to give the child up."

"Yes, indeed," said Dumbledore.

"We must do a certain amount of guessing here, although I do not think it is difficult to deduce what happened. You see, within a few months of their runaway marriage, Tom Riddle reappeared at the manor house in Little Hangleton without his wife," he began explaining.

"The rumor flew around the neighborhood that he was talking of being 'hoodwinked' and 'taken in.' What he meant, I am sure, is that he had been under an enchantment that had now lifted, though I daresay he did not dare use those precise words for fear of being thought insane. When they heard what he was saying, however, the villagers guessed that Merope had lied to Tom Riddle, pretending that she was going to have his baby, and that he had married her for this reason."

"But she did have his baby."

"But not until a year after they were married. Tom Riddle left her while she was still pregnant."

"He left her?" Melinda asked, repulsed.

Melinda recalled Tom mentioning this during her second year in the chamber but she hadn't really given it much thought. She'd assumed he meant after he'd been born, but it seemed she was wrong.

"Again, this is guesswork," said Dumbledore, "but I believe that Merope was deeply in love with her husband, and could not bear to continue enslaving him by magical means. I believe that she made the choice to stop giving him the potion. Perhaps, she had convinced herself that he would not leave, from love or obligation I do not know. If so, she was wrong on both counts. He left her, never saw her again, and never troubled to discover what became of his son."

"That's horrible," Melinda snapped. "Who would leave their son like that? I don't care if she did use a love potion on him, the baby had nothing to do with that."

People wondered why Tom had hated his father so much. At least she could say Poseidon loved her, but the only thing Tom must have gotten from finding his father was disappointment and anger.

"What would you have done?" Dumbledore asked.

"That's not exactly easy to say, I'm a girl. But if I had been in Tom Riddle Sr. place I wouldn't have abandoned my child, even if I hated the mother. If you asking what I would do if in Merope's place but the one under the potion then I don't know. That doesn't matter though, no one should blame an innocent baby for something that can't help."

Dumbledore gazed at the brunette, his hands folded in front of him. He to thought it was rather cowardly for Tom Riddle Sr. to run from his wife and unborn child as well, even if he was justified in a way to do so. He just hadn't expected Melinda to be so opinionated on the subject.

The sky outside was inky black and the lamps in Dumbledore's office seemed to glow more brightly than before.

"I think that will do for tonight, Melinda," said Dumbledore after a moment or two. "It is rather late, and I do believe you need your sleep."

"Yes, sir," said Melinda, finally calming down though she was still rather upset.

Melinda got to her feet, but did not leave. "Sir, am I allowed to tell anyone about what we talked about?

Dumbledore considered this for a moment, then said, "Yes, I think Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have proved themselves trust-worthy. Though I do believe we shouldn't tell to many others, I know you have many friends other then those two."

"Of course sir, I'll make sure it's just Ron and Hermione. Good night."

Sh turned away again, and was almost at the door when she saw it. Sitting on one of the little spindle-legged tables that supported so many frail-looking silver instruments, was an ugly gold ring set with a large, cracked, black stone. Her eyes widened, that ring, it was from the memory!

"Sir," said Melinda, staring at it. "That ring —"

"Yes?" said Dumbledore.

"You were wearing it when we visited Professor Slughorn that night."

"So I was," Dumbledore agreed.

"But isn't it the same ring Marvolo Gaunt showed Ogden?"

Dumbledore bowed his head. "The very same."

"Have you always had it?"

This didn't make since, and then from the corner of her eye she caught the movement he made with his hands, his healed over ghosting over the decaying one.

"No, I acquired it very recently," said Dumbledore. "A few days before I came to ask you help in getting Horace to agree to return, in fact."

"That would be around the time you injured your hand, then, sir?"

"Around that time, yes."

Melinda hesitated. Dumbledore was smiling.

"Sir, how exactly —?"

"Too late, Melinda! You shall hear the story another time. Good night."

Melinda sighed, but knew when she was being dismissed. She really was tired, otherwise she might have stayed to attempt to get the answer from the old man. Something told her though the answer was already in front of her, that ring.

As she walked back to the dorm room she could help but wonder if this had anything to do with Voldemort's Horcruxes. That ring gave her a funny feeling, similar to when she'd found Tom's diary.

Could it be it had been a Horcrux or still was? If it was then maybe that was how his hand had been injured. If she had Horcruxes she knew she'd protect them every way she knew how, even if it meant cursing the objects or placing spells on them.

**xXx**

"You must be Melinda."

Melinda looked up when she heard the feminine words. She had agreed to meet Narcissa in Hogsmeade on the first Hogsmeade weekend, that was in October. Of course there was still this rift between her and Hermione.

It was healing but her friend was still miffed about her using that book for potions. A book which apparently once belonged to the Half-Blood Prince.

That was beside the point seeing as she'd left Hermione to deal with her Ron and Lavender drama twenty minutes before. Now in front of her stood Narcissa Malfoy, as regal looking as always. Melinda could see the stress in her eyes though, this was a woman who had loved and lost. A woman desperate to live and protect her son.

"And you must be Narcissa," she said, smiling. "Hello cousin."

Narcissa chuckled.

"So the rumors are true. You've become the Lady Black in place of Sirius."

Melinda nodded.

"Yeah, Amelia Bones helped me with some of the legal stuff before school. I am legally Lady Potter-Black. Though I've stuck to simply Melinda Potter, I'm not one for the whole hyphen thing."

"I see. Draco seems to think you'll be able to help us."

Melinda nodded.

"I'm going to do all I can. As you know my home is under Fidelius, to keep me safe from the Dark Lord," Melinda said, opting not to say his name as not to make Mrs. Malfoy uncomfortable. "I am willing to give you sanctuary there, but I need you to swear loyalty once again to the House of Black. Draco of course will be safe there as well until this war is over."

"You're aware that me swearing loyalty to the house of Black again..."

"It annuls your marriage to Lucius Malfoy. That shouldn't be a problem, Draco will be seventeen in June, and he is the only heir. Lucius is in Azkaban, he can't disown Draco and I don't think he will if he gets out before. Even if he does Draco is also a Black by blood. This only really effects you."

Narcissa nodded.

"I agree. I Narcissa Medea Black renounce my loyalty to the Malfoy line and swear it to the most noble and ancient house of Black."

Melinda watched as the ring on Narcissa's left hand shivered and broke in too, falling to the snowy ground. There was a shimmering light around her that turned from light green to a dark onyx. The stone and color of the house of Black.

"Here," Melinda said, holding out a piece of paper. "It's the address you need to go to. Read it, and memorize it, then burn it."

Narcissa looked at the paper and nodded, bringing out a wand a moment later and flicking it. The paper went up in flames then turned to ash.

"Thank you Melinda," Narcissa said, and she could tell it was something the older woman was not used to saying. "You'll help Draco, won't you?"

Melinda nodded.

"As the Head of the Black family I have responsibilities. And even if the connection is distant – " _or simply by adoption,_ she thought to herself. " – I'll help him as much as I can."


	23. The Years Before: Year Six III

**AN: So here is the next chapter and end of Year six, thankfully. Just about three more chapters and then possibly one or two more before we go on to camp. Then the fun can really begin. I am so sorry it took so long and I wrote this in about two days, so it's not up to my usual standards. There were things I wanted to add that I had no time for. I apologize for that but hopefully what I get get to you like.  
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**I will try to get the next chapter up before long.  
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**NOTE: Sorry about the doubling up of some of the text, that was a mistype with my open-office. I have fixed it though.  
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* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 23: The Years Before: Year Six III. **

Melinda stared with horror and anger at the boy in front of her.

"You complete dumb arse! What were you thinking?" she cried, shaking her head and holding up a hand to silence him. "I'll tell you what,, nothing!"

Draco blinked, twitching at the verbal scolding he was receiving.

"Isn't that a bit harsh?"

Melinda's eye twitched, which Draco had learned in the past was never a good sign.

"You almost killed a girl, Draco." Melinda sighed. "Take it from someone who knows. Taking a life is never easy, it scars you. No mater the person or circumstances."

Draco sighed, and ran a slightly shaking hand through his hair.

"I didn't mean for her to get hurt," he said.

"I know that, but you were supposed to come to me or Snape with this. I'm here to help you."

"Maybe I don't want your help," Draco suddenly snapped, sneering. "I don't need anyone's help."

Melinda glared.

"That right there proves to me you need help. From the stunt you pulled with the necklace – which by the way was a lame plan and decision – you need a lot of help," Melinda said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Will Bell be alright?" Draco asked so lightly she almost didn't hear him.

She sighed, her eyes softening and nodded.

"Katie was lucky, she'll make a full recovery. Not in time for our first game but at least she's alive," Melinda answered.

"I'm sorry, I got in over my head. I thought if I got it over with quickly then he would leave my family alone."

Melinda shook her head. Walking over she pulled the taller boy into a hug, a brief one in any case.

"I'm sorry Dray, but it doesn't work like that," she began. "Voldemort isn't a man of his word or any moral. It doesn't matter what you do, if he has a reason or desire to hurt you and your mother then he will."

Draco sighed, clutching his left arm on impulse.

"Is there no hope then?"

Melinda smiled.

"There is always hope Draco, as long as you believe there is."

She didn't really talk much with Draco after that snowy October day. Katie did make a full recovery, though she'd been taken to St. Mungos for a full check over. Hogwarts just wasn't equipped for curses like the one she'd been exposed too.

In November she had Slughorn's dinner party, which would lead up to the Christmas party the next month. She wouldn't lie and say she hadn't looked forward to it. The special occasions Hogwarts sometimes had were one of the more normal times of her life.

She'd had fun at the Halloween ball the week before the dinner party. Dressing in an gray-blue peplos and gold breast plate armor and arm cuffs. It was specially made by Madam Malkin.

It had cost her a pretty penny as well, but she'd had a great costume for the ball. If anyone asked she had gone as Hecate, goddess that even to this day the Wizarding world was aware of.

Well, expect maybe the Muggle-borns but even most of them recognized the name.

"You ready?" Hermione asked.

Melinda finished her outfit by putting on the nearly knee high brown lace up boots. She wore a metallic like bronze skirt which was a few inches above her knees and a blue bustier top under a buttoned brown cardigan sweater. She looked dressy enough for a dinner party yet casual at the same time.

"Yeah," she said, double checking that she had Abyss and Tachýs with her.

The bone dagger she'd used to kill Bellatrix the year before was in her boot, hidden under a disillusionment charm in case someone were to look at her boots and notice by chance.

"Ah, and the last of the guest have arrived," Slughorn said, smiling happily when Melinda and Hermione entered.

The others gathered were what those who'd been taught by Slughorn in the past would call the newest Slug club or those possibly to be collected.

Neville – he'd joked it had to do with his friendship with her and the fact his parents had been well known Aurors.

Ginny as well, surprising many at first. Slughorn seemed to like her spirit, praised her bat-boogie curse.

Blaise Zabini.

Belby, she wasn't too sure what his first name was.

McLaggen. She'd seen him looking at Hermione like a piece of meat recently and she was sort of confused if Hermione liked the seventh year as well or if she liked Ron.

Susan Bones. The girls Aunt Amelia had become the new Minister just before school began but there was already resistance from within. From what she'd heard Voldemort was trying to force her out of office seeing as a direct attack hadn't worked yet.

There was a set of twins as well, Slytherins but she wasn't sure their named.

The only other two she recognized were Daphne and Astoria.

"Sorry if we're late," Melinda said, smoothing her skirt down as she took a seat next to Daphne and Zabini by default.

Hermione sat on one side of Ginny across the table.

"Of course not dear girl," he assured. "You're right on time. Dinner is to be served right about...now."

The food appeared in front of them and the dinner officially began. It was not long after they began to eat that Melinda thought of what Dumbledore had asked her to get. A memory, from Slughorn.

_'I already know about his Horcruxes sir,'_ she'd told him after viewing what he called a fixed memory. A lie.

Dumbledore had raised his eyebrow.

_'How did you come about this information?'_ he asked, and she could hear the worry in his voice at the time.

She'd smiled amused.

_'He told me, well Tom did. The diary was one.. he wasn't always evil sir,'_ she told him.

Then the conversation took a turn on the things she knew and a course of plan to get the memory from Slughorn.

She still wasn't positive how she'd pull that off.

She only so long to figure it out when the dinner ended. The dinner had been rather talkative, mostly McLaggen and some others she wasn't sure of. They were Ravenclaws though from the scarfs they wore, she personally didn't think it was the chilly but to each their own.

"Go on," Melinda said, looking at Hermione, Ginny and Neville. "I'll be behind you."

The three Gryffindor's looked at their friend and nodded, leaving almost hesitantly.

"Oh," Slughorn said, surprised when he turned to find she was still there. "Look sharp Melinda, it's almost curfew now."

Melinda blinked at the feeling of Deja Vu that brought to her but shook her head subtly to get back to the point of this.

"I'm sorry sir, I've just had a few questions I needed answered lately."

"Oh, about Potions? I can't imagine why, you're my best pupil in the class, you get that from your mother I dear say."

Melinda smiled. She enjoyed hearing about her mother, but now wasn't the time she had to remind herself.

"Thank you sir but it's not exactly a question about Potions," she began. "I didn't think anyone else would understand though."

Slughorn's face changed almost instantly at her words, his eyes shadowing over with what she could only assume was memories.

"What is this about Ms. Potter?"

"Tom Riddle," she said. "And Horcruxes."

Slughorn paled.

"How did you.."

"I've looked into it myself...but it's a confusing subject."

"Soul magic of the darkest kinds usually are. Now I implore you to put it out of your mind Melinda. It's a subject no one ought mess with," Slughorn said in a final way.

"Is that what you told Tom?" she asked, taking a step forward.

Slughorn turned back to face her, his eyes wide.

"Albus put you up to this didn't he?" he asked. "Didn't he?"

"We need to know what you told him Professor," Melinda said. "We have to know what he knew. Only you can tell..."

"No," Slughorn said, shaking his head. "I won't, I can't."

"Professor."

"I'm sorry Melinda but I can't, now please go before it get's too late," he said and Melinda sighed.

She could tell it wouldn't be a good idea to push him any further, so she turned and left. Thinking of how she'd get the memory now. She'd have to try harder she supposed.

**xXx**

"You'll have to be faster then that Mel," Luna said as she moved back, her sharp sais at her side.

A thin line of blood on the left one were it had cut into Melinda's left arm. Melinda lowered her Trident to her side, leaning on as if it were a very tall walking stick.

"I know, though you do have the unfair advantage of speed on your side," Melinda pointed out, smiling.

Luna blinked, though it was true. Most Norse demigods were simply naturally fast, but given Luna's small size she was almost unnaturally fast. Not that Melinda wasn't quick in her own right, years of fighting monster, running from her cousin and relatives, and Voldemort had made sure of that.

"You're distracted, what's wrong?" Luna asked, almost sounding like a normal person.

"It's complicated Lu," Melinda began. "I don't want to get you involved."

Luna nodded, putting her sais away, and Melinda followed the other demigods example and returned Tachýs into ring form.

"It has to do with Draco doesn't it?"

Melinda looked up startled.

"How did you..."

"My mother is Vör, I can tell." Luna frowned. "He's been sort of distant lately, more so then usual. I know you and him are spending time together in here...but I don't know why. I'm actually surprised we were able to get into the R.O.R today."

Melinda bit her lip, unsure what to tell Luna.

"I'm helping him with something...it's not my place to tell you."

Luna nodded.

"Thank you for being honest Melinda, even if I don't have much of an answer," Luna said. "The Christmas Party is coming up soon. Who are you going with. Fred?"

Melinda smiled, wishing she could go with Fred but he was pretty busy with the shop, and it wasn't exactly allowed without permission for a student to have a date to a function that wasn't a student.

"No, he's working pretty hard at the joke shop. It's getting a lot of business lately," Melinda said. "I'm not going with anyone actually. I figure I'll make an appearance, stay for a little while and then disappear."

Luna nodded.

"Sounds quaint," she said dreamily. "So do you want to do anymore training or head to lunch. It should begin in five minutes."

Melinda smiles, not surprised at her matter-of-fact tone. Luna simply tended to know things, part of being her mother's daughter Melinda supposed.

"We'll head out, I think we've done as much as we can today," Melinda said, and the two girls left seconds later for Lunch.

**xXx**

"So, who was it?" Ron asked, sitting down at the table across from Hermione, Ron, and Ginny.

Neville was on his other side and Luna was a few seats down - there was after all no rule that said they could not sit at other tables on weekends or at all really.

Hermione stared at the youngest male Weasley.

"How was what?" she asked.

"The party of course."

"Rather boring actually," Hermione said, her eyes still narrowed. "It was a lot of idle chat and food."

"She's right," Neville said, nodding. "Boring. You didn't miss anything of importance.

Melinda watched her friends with amusement, discreetly slipping a clear liquid into Ron's goblet. She knew how nervous Ron was about the first game of the season and she also knew he had zero chance of stopping any goals in the state he was currently in.

Even if it was simply water she'd slipped into his juice the idea would be planted any moment now thanks to Luna's help.

"Slughorn's having a Christmas Party too you know," Hermione began, her eyes moving from the paper she had been reading to Ron and back again.

"I suppose you'll be taking McLaggen?" Ron asked.

"Actually I was going to ask you," Hermione said, her eyes leaving the paper completely.

"Really," Ron said, a bit flustered though he hid it pretty well.

"Good luck on today's match man," Dean said as he passed Ron, clapping him on the shoulder as he went.

"Oh, thanks," Ron said, paling even more.

"Good Luck," Lavender said as she appeared, giving Ron what Melinda could only classify as a lost puppy like stare filled with a form of love, or what Lavender thought was love. It was actually sort of sickening.

"I'm resigning, after this game McLaggen can have my spot," Ron said glumly, looking sort of sick.

Melinda chuckled.

"No way, drink up Ron," Melinda said, pushing his cup of Pumpkin Juice towards him more.

"You look dreadful Ron," Luna suddenly said, tilting her head to the side. "Is that why you put something in his cup? Is it a tonic of some sort, Mellie?"

Ron had just raised the glass to his lips when she'd said this, making him freeze.

"Don't drink that, Ron!" Hermione said sharply.

"Why not?" said Ron.

Hermione was now staring at Melinda as though she could not believe her eyes.

"You could both be expelled!" she cried.

"For what? I don't know what you're talking about Mione," Melinda said, trying to sound as innocent as she could.

"Ron, I warn you, don't drink it!" Hermione said again, but Ron picked up the glass.

"Stop bossing me around, Hermione," Ron snapped and drained the cup in one gulp.

Hermione looked on scandalized.

Turning to Melinda she whispered so that only Melinda could hear her, "You should be expelled for that. I'd never have believed it of you, Melinda! Wait, I take that back, Fred has obviously rubbed off on you."

Melinda chuckled, and smirked.

"Look who's talking," she whispered back. "Confunded anyone lately?"

Hermione huffed and turned back to her breakfast and the paper and Melinda went back to eating her own breakfast. Not really feeling bad about what she'd said. Hermione had never really understood what a serious business Quidditch was, at least to those who loved the sport and took it seriously.

"Nearly time!' said Melinda blithely several minutes later.

The frosty grass crunched underfoot as they strode down to the stadium.

"Pretty lucky the weathers this good, eh?" Melinda asked Ron.

"Yeah," said Ron, who was pale and sick-looking.

Ginny and Demelza were already wearing their Quidditch robes and waiting in the changing room.

"Conditions look ideal," said Ginny, ignoring Ron. "And guess what? That Slytherin Chaser Vaisey — he took a Bludger in the head yesterday during their practice, and he can't play! And even better than that — Malfoy's gone off sick too!"

"What?" said Melinda, wheeling around to stare at her in shock. "He's ill? What's wrong with him?"

"No idea, but it's great news for us," said Ginny brightly. "They're playing Harper instead. He's in my year and he's a right idiot."

Melinda smiled back slightly, but as she pulled on her scarlet robes her mind was far from Quidditch. Malfoy had once before claimed he could not play due to injury, but on that occasion he had made sure the whole match was rescheduled for a time that suited the Slytherins better.

She knew her friend well enough to know he'd never let a substitute go on in his place, his pride was too big for that. But then before this year he'd simply been a teenager, a boy. Now he was on a mission he didn't want.

That still left the question, was he really ill, or was he doing something else? She was a little worried, but she'd seen him just yesterday, he looked fine and she figured it had more to do with his mission then being ill.

She'd have to swing by the Slytherin common's later. Sesha was always eavesdropping when she could so her familiar probably had the password. And if worse came to worse she'd use Parseltongue and make it open.

"Fishy, isn't it?" Ron asked. "Malfoy not playing?"

"Lucky, I call it," she replied, shrugging.

"Hey!" Ron suddenly said, freezing halfway through pulling on his Keepers gloves and staring at Melinda.

"What?"

"I… you…" Ron had dropped his voice, he looked both scared and excited. "My drink… my pumpkin juice… you didn't…?"

Melinda raised her eyebrows, but said nothing except, "We'll be starting in about five minutes, you'd better get your boots on."

They walked out onto the pitch to tumultuous roars and boos. One end of the stadium was solid red and gold; the other, a sea of green and silver.

Many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had taken sides too: Amidst all the yelling and clapping Melinda could distinctly hear the roar of Luna Lovegood's famous lion-topped hat.

Melinda stepped up to Madam Hooch, the referee, who was standing ready to release the balls from the crate.

"Captains shake hands," she said, and Melinda had her hand practically crushed by the new Slytherin Captain, Urquhart. A rather unattractive Slytherin who seemed to have a permanent snarl on his face.

"Mount your brooms. On the whistle… three… two… one…"

The whistle sounded, Melinda and the others kicked off hard from the frozen ground.

The game had begun.

**xXx**

The atmosphere in the changing room after the game was jubilant.

"Party up in the common room," Seamus said exuberantly. "C'mon, Ginny, Demelza!"

Ron and Melinda were the last two in the changing room.

"Good game," Melinda told her friend, smiling with a bit of pride.

Ron had played extremely well, giving her reason to believe she'd made the right choice in placing the red head as Keeper instead of McLaggen.

Ron grinned back.

They were just about to leave when Hermione entered. She was twisting her Gryffindor scarf in her hands and looked upset but determined as she stared in stern annoyance at them.

"I want a word with you, Melinda." Hermione took a deep breath before she continued. "You shouldn't have done it. You heard Slughorn, it's illegal. You could have been caught."

"What are you going to do, turn us in?" demanded Ron.

His face showed how annoyed he was becoming. Melinda could sense the blow out coming and wanted to try and stop it but with Hermione and Ron that was like trying to defuse a nuclear bomb in under a minute.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Melinda, turning away to hang up her robes so that neither of them would see her fighting off a amused smirk.

"You know perfectly well what we're talking about!" said Hermione shrilly. "You spiked Ron's juice with luck potion at breakfast! Felix Felicis!"

"No, I didn't," said Melinda, turning back to face them both.

Hermione stopped short at the look of confidence and complete honesty on her friends face and the mischievous look in almond shaped sea green eyes. They tended to look more like the sea when she was up to something, or knew something they didn't.

"Yes, you did, Melinda. I saw you! That's why everything went right, there were Slytherin players missing and Ron saved everything!" she exclaimed after a split second.

"No, you saw me put something in his drink," Melinda corrected, smirking. "I didn't put luck potion in his drink."

Melinda slipped her hand inside her jacket pocket and drew out the tiny bottle that Hermione had seen in her hand that morning. It was full of golden potion and the cork was still tightly sealed with wax.

"I wanted Ron to think I had, so I had Luna help me make it seem like I had. I hadn't counted on you possibly seeing me. I faked it, the only thing in his juice was juice and a bit of water." She looked at Ron.

"You saved everything because you felt lucky. You did it all yourself, unless suddenly I can make water work like luck potion," she said, adding the last part a bit jokingly.

She pocketed the potion again.

"There really wasn't anything in my pumpkin juice?" Ron said, astounded. "But the weather's good… and Vaisey couldn't play… I honestly haven't been given lucky potion?"

Melinda shook her head.

"Nope," she said cheerfully, popping the p.

Ron gaped at her for a moment, then rounded on Hermione, imitating her voice.

"You added Felix Felicis to Ron's juice this morning, that's why he saved everything! See! I can save goals without help, Hermione!"

Hermione's eyes widened and she began to stutter out her words. "I never said you couldn't — Ron, you thought you'd been given it too!"

But Ron had already strode past her out of the door with his broomstick over his shoulder.

"Er," said Melinda into the sudden silence; she had not expected this to happen in the beginning, but hindsight and everything, "shall… shall we go up to the party, then?"

"You go!" said Hermione, blinking back tears. "I'm sick of Ron at the moment, I don't know what I'm supposed to have done…" And she stormed out of the changing room too.

Melinda could not find Hermione at the Gryffindor celebration party when she arrived, a party which was in full swing when she arrived. Renewed cheers and clapping greeted her entrance, and she was soon surrounded by a mob of people congratulating her.

What with trying to shake off the Creevey brothers, who wanted a blow-by-blow match analysis, and the large group of boys and girls that encircled her, laughing at her least amusing comments. It took hero worship to a whole new level of disturbing.

it was some time before she could try and find Ron.

At last, she untangled herself from Romilda Vane's chattering and Roland Vane, Romilda's twin brother, who was hinting heavily that he would like to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with her.

The idea didn't appeal to her in the least, even if the fourth year did have the start of handsome Pureblood looks. The crystal green eyes were nice as well.

She prefered Fred's blue eyes though, the mere thought of her boyfriend made her heart ache at the distance between them.

As she was ducking toward the drinks table, she walked straight into Ginny, Arnold the Pygmy Puff riding on her shoulder and Crookshanks mewing hopefully at her heels. Probably at the prospect of getting to eat the small pygmy puff.

"Looking for Ron?" she asked, smirking. "He's over there, the filthy hypocrite."

Melinda looked into the corner she was indicating and blanched. There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose. Or where the first one's face began and where the others ended.

It was quite disgusting, but hard to look away from at the same time. Like those things you know you don't want to see but are just such large disasters you can't look away.

"It looks like he's eating her face, doesn't it?" said Ginny dispassionately. "It's disgusting, but I suppose he's got to refine his technique somehow. Good game, Mel."

She patted her on the arm; Melinda nodding, and then Ginny walked off to help herself to more butterbeer. Crookshanks trotted after her, his yellow eyes fixed upon Arnold.

Melinda turned away from Ron, who did not look like he would be surfacing soon, just as the portrait hole was closing and she caught a flash of brown hair. With a sinking feeling, she darted forward, sidestepped Romilda and Roland Vane again, and pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady.

The corridor outside, seemed to be deserted.

"Hermione?"

She found her in the first unlocked classroom she tried. She was sitting on the teacher's desk, alone except for a small ring of twittering yellow birds circling her head, which she had clearly just conjured out of midair. Melinda could not help admiring Hermione's spell-work for a few seconds.

"Oh, hello, Melinda," she said in a brittle voice. "I was just practicing."

"Yeah…I noticed," said Melinda.

She really had no idea what to say to her. She was just wondering whether there was any chance that she had not noticed Ron, that she had merely left the room because the party was a little too rowdy, when she said, in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, "Ron seems to be enjoying the celebrations."

"Does he?" said Melinda, her stomach sinking. So she had seen after all. "I hadn't noti..."

"Don't pretend you didn't see him," said Hermione, interrupting her. "He wasn't exactly hiding it, was —?"

"Mione, I don't know what to say," Melinda began. "Ron's an arse."

Hermione chuckled, wiping her eyes as a small smile broke free.

The door behind them burst open a moment later. To Melinda's horror, Ron came in, laughing, pulling Lavender by the hand.

"Oh," he said, drawing up short at the sight of Melinda and Hermione.

"Oops!" said Lavender, and she backed out of the room, giggling. The door swung shut behind her.

There was a horrible silence that followed this.

Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her, but said with an odd mixture of bravado and awkwardness, "Hi, Melinda! Wondered where you'd got to!"

Hermione slid off the desk. The little flock of golden birds continued to twitter in circles around her head so that she looked like a strange, feathery model of the solar system.

"You shouldn't leave Lavender waiting outside," she said quietly. "She'll wonder where you've gone."

She walked very slowly toward the door, but like she had one purpose and that was to get out of there as fast as she could.

Melinda glanced at Ron, who was looking relieved that nothing worse had happened.

"Oppugno!" came a shriek from the doorway.

Melinda spun around to see Hermione pointing her wand at Ron, her expression wild: The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets toward Ron, who yelped and covered his face with his hands, but the birds attacked, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.

"Gerremoffme!" he yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, Hermione wrenched open the door and disappeared through it. Melinda thought she heard a sob before it slammed.

"She's mental!" Ron bellowed as the birds became yellow puffs of feathers as they disintegrated.

Melinda shook her head and marched past him to follow after Hermione.

"Really Ronald, grow a brain and then ask yourself why Hermione would be so upset," she snapped as she left, slamming the door behind her.

**xXx**

The Christmas party was not exactly as grand as some might expect, but then it wasn't small either. There was food, drink, music and dancing. Lots of people chatting with one another, and of course Hermione dodging her date.

"So, party not what you expected?" Melinda asked as she came to stand beside her friend who look more then a little nervous in her peach colored dress.

Melinda herself wore a white lace dress which had thin spaghetti straps and fell just above her knees.

"More like, Cormac isn't what I expected," Hermione said, sighing. "I was under the impression I'd come with Ron but seeing as unexpected circumstances made me make different plans. Well, I didn't have much of a choice and Cormac asked."

Melinda nodded.

"I'm sure there were choices Mione, we could have come togegther, as friends," Melinda said, shrugging.

Hermione sighed again, and shook her head.

"Why didn't I think of that?"

Melinda smirked and then frowned.

"Uh, McLaggen's coming this way," she said and Hermione gasped and began to dart away but Melinda grabbed her arm. "Not yet."

Melinda kept her eyes on the other boy, and then with a nod she released Hermione's arm and the Prefect darted out just as McLaggen came threw the curtain like things.

"You seen Hermione?" McLaggen asked standing beside her. "You look nice tonight Melinda."

Melinda gave him a hard look before shaking her head.

"No, sorry. You came with Hermione then?"

McLaggen shrugged.

"Thought I did," he said. "She's a bit of a minx, that friend of yours."

Melinda clinched her fist and gritted her teeth but before she could say or do anything Seamus came through with a tray of desserts she couldn't exactly name.

"Alright back here Mel?" he asked, looking from her to McLaggen.

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Fine Seamus," she said. "Just talking about where Hermione's got off too."

"Oh, well here. Keep them," Seamus said, placing the tray in Melinda's hands and leaving.

"Don't mind if I do," McLaggen said as he took the tray from Melinda and began stuffing his face.

She grimaced and tensed up when she noticed Snape approaching.

"Hey, Potter, what are these exactly?" McLaggen asked and Melinda turned and stared at the tray trying to think.

"Uh...dragon balls," she said, thinking of the first thing to come to min.

she saw mostly from the corner of her eye as Snape came face to face with McLaggen and said boy bend double and barfed on the Potions Masters shoes.

"You've just bought yourself a weeks worth of detentions McLaggen.." Snape didn't even turn as he continued. "Not so fast Potter."

"Yes Proffessor?" Melinda asked as she turned from where she had tried to leave unnoticed.

"Go," Snape told McLaggen and then turned to Melinda.

"Narcissa sends her regards," Snape said and then handed her a silver wrapped box.

Melinda took the gift and nodded.

"Is that all?"

Snape glared at her shortly.

"No, the headmaster wishes to remind you of your lessons, and that he'll be leaving for a time," Snape said.

"Where too?" she asked, concerned.

"I do not know Potter, and if I did..." Snape was cut off by Filch coming in with Draco who looked annoyed and upset at being manhandled.

"What is this?" Slughorn asked, clearly shocked.

"I found this student sneaking around," Filch said. "Said he was invited..."

Melinda didn't even let anyone say anything as she darted forward and linked her elbow with his.

"Draco, there you are," she said, smiling. "I'm sorry Professors. I did invite Draco to come with me as my escort. He had some things to do for Professor Snape and promised to meet up. I didn't expect Mr. Filch to find him."

Melinda then turned from Draco and the gathered peoples shocked looks to Filch who had his jaw dropped in shock.

"My cousin didn't give you any problems did he?" she asked, once again flabbergasting everyone.

Snape had to smirk at this, the girl truly was a Slytherin under all that Gryffindor crimson.

"That is...quite alright dear girl," Slughorn said, his face sort of surprised. "Quite alright. Everyone back to the party, everything is alright."

"I didn't need you're help Melinda," Draco whispered almost harshly as they moved to where Snape stood.

Melinda raised an eyebrow.

"That's not what it looked like to me," she said.

**xXx**

Over the next few months after winter holidays and everyone had returned from Christmas holidays Melinda found herself more confused about things then stressed. She was confused on how seeing memories would help her in the fight against Voldemort. She was confused on why Dumbledore was determined to go down a martyr.

She knew the year would end in tragedy but she hadn't expected what had happened. She hadn't expected to go to the cave to find the locket only to return to Death Eaters in Hogwarts – Draco hadn't told her because she'd asked him not too. So that it looked more real that she was surprised.

She wondered if this counted as a betrayal even if Dumbledore had planned his own death at the expense of a man's soul?

Then there was her own soul. She couldn't help but blame herself now as she stood in the Headmaster's office. Two identical lockets in hand. The only difference was the fact the one from the cave was fake. She'd had the real one the whole time. In her jewelry box of all places.

She had known it look familiar but she hardly ever dug very deep in her jewelry box so she never really saw it to put the pieces together. It wouldn't have changed anything, Dumbledore would have died one way or another but she couldn't help the edges of guilt.

"Ms. Potter."

Melinda turned startled. Behind her McGonagall had entered the office, and followed her gaze to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, the now dead Headmaster of Hogwarts. Snape and Draco had fled with the Death Eaters. Draco would later Portkey to Grimmauld Place where his mother would wait for him.

She only hoped Snape could distract the others with them long enough for the plan to work out.

"Sorry Professor, I was just..." Melinda blinked hard. Tears she realized, the first ones to come. "Saying goodbye."

She hadn't been close to Dumbledore, and she hadn't exactly been fond but she had forgiven the old man for his mistakes. The mistakes that had anything to do with her anyways, she couldn't forgive the mistakes he made with others.

"If it's any help, he was fond of you Melinda," McGonagall said and she nodded, though she didn't know how she felt about that. She'd known, but hearing it was sort of different.

"I'll go now," Melinda said and seconds later left.

It would be the last time for a year she'd enter the Headmaster's office.


	24. The Years Before: Year Seven

**AN: So, I want to thank everyone for their reviews. And now we get to the very last year of Hogwarts. This means in about four chapters time we'll be off to Camp. Two more chapters for the war against Voldemort and then two chapters that take place where the first chapter left off. **

**Before we know it we'll be off to camp and into the Lightning Thief. Then the fun can really begin.  
**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I had fun writing it seeing as I got to bring Sesha back for more screen time, or page time depending on how you look at it.  
**

**Also I don't know exactly what snakes eat besides smaller animals. I'm not sure if a normal Egyptian Cobra would eat the sort of animal mentioned below, but Sesha isn't a normal snake, so we'll just say it's of the norm for Sesha.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 24: The Years Before: Year Seven.**

Melinda stared at Sesha in unspoken surprise, annoyance and exasperation, or were those last two the same thing?

_::I'm sorry Sesha, I think I have blood in my ears,::_ Melinda began. _::Did you just say Set had a baby?:: _

Sesha would have rolled her eyes if she had eyelids.

_::I'm speaking perfect Parseltongue, Mistress. That's what Set meant about his words to me before he died. In his chamber he left an egg, he'd found it in the forest the first time he'd been let loose by his last master. It's been close to hatching for years. He showed me.:: _

_Melinda messaged her temples at the impending headache. _

_Happy Seventeenth birthday Mellie, _she thought to herself. Though her birthday was still about twelve hours away seeing as it was only noon and the 30th of July.

"So, there is a baby basilisk in the Chamber, unsupervised?" she asked, switching back to English instinctively as she talked to Sesha and herself. She'd always been prone to working things out by voicing her problems to herself out loud.

_::Of course not!:: _Sesha exclaimed, rearing up in outrage._ ::Where do you think I was last year? Chasing mice like some average garden serpent?:: _

Sesha gave the snake version of a snort.

_::You didn't tell me sooner because?:: _Melinda demanded.

_::You were so busy already Mistress, and Setara is just a babe. In human years she'd be considered a fetus she is so small and young.::_

_::It took her, I'm assuming it's a female, over fifty years to hatch,:: Melinda deadpanned._

_::That is not uncommon for the Basilisk, at least this breed. There is the Greek variety but that is another story for another time.::_ Sesha shook her head. _::Now I've told you. I wish to be given to the clear-sighted one to return to Hogwarts this year. I must teach Setara the ways, so she doesn't die or wonder off.:: _

Melinda raised an eyebrow as she stood from the edge of her bed and walked to her closet in order to finish packing her things for the journey she'd take that night for the Burrow.

_::If that is what you wish Sesha, then I will have Ginny take you on the first.:: _

The fact she wouldn't have Sesha with her on the Hunt for Horcruxes left a funny pit in her stomach. She didn't like the idea at all.

_::I know you don't like it Mistress, I don't like being separated from you either. Our bond is still relatively new, but I must teach Setara to be a good serpent. Set is no longer around to do so, the first few years of a Basilisk' life is the most critical you understand.:: _

Melinda smiled and nodded.

_::I understand Sesha, and I would like to meet Setara in the future. Maybe I can help. Now, would you like to add anything to our bags or are you ready to head down for Lunch?:: _she asked.

Sesha nodded, grabbed large stuffed rat from on top of her warming rock and slithered over, plopping the stuffed rat into the suitcase (A rather strange yet amusing scene for a snake).

Then Sesha slid up Melinda's arm and wrapping around her arm multiple times, almost like a sleeve, and her head rested on Melinda's shoulder.

Sesha had reached maturity over the summer, and was around ten feet long, and rather thick. A very healthy sized snake, though for the none magical breed of cobra oddly large.

_::I have missed our time together Mistress,:: _Sesha muttered softly as she settled down for a snake nap.

Melinda smiled and patted the snakes back scales affectionately before heading for her bedroom door and down to the Kitchen in her home.

Remus had moved out over the summer, moving in with Tonks. She'd gotten notice of there last minute wedding in the beginning of July. She'd wanted to go but she knew with times the way they were now... it simply wasn't safe.

Voldemort had basically put a bounty on the Malfoy's heads, and Lucius was out of Azkaban and back with Voldemort from what her dreams told her.

She'd had more dream visions of Voldemort lately then she liked to admit, but they felt different somehow. Like she was him, not just seeing through his eyes.

"Evening," Melinda greeted as she entered.

Narcissa and Draco were already at the table with soup and home backed bread. It smelled good, but Kreacher's food usually did.

"Melinda," Narcissa greeted with a small polite smile. "Lunch has been served, Kreacher said he'd get you."

Melinda smirked, shaking her head and walked over to the empty seat with soup and a goblet of wine – Kreacher had his moments now days.

She'd began to become a bit more kindly to the old house elf, but mostly she simply exerted her power as Lady Black to get him to do his job.

Kreacher was funny like that, he wanted a strong mistress, and until she'd proven she could be he'd taken to trying to poison her or accidentally maim her.

House elves were masters at finding loopholes in orders if you weren't careful. And Kreacher was as old as one got, having been around when his former Mistress, Walburga Black had been a baby.

"Is Mistress wanting a rat for her familiar?" Kreacher asked as he popped up and Melinda ran her spoon through her soup.

"Sesha will have a few ferrets, actually," Melinda said, smirking at Draco who could remember his own time as a ferret thanks to the fake Moody in their fourth year. "Also, I'd love the antidote to my soup Kreacher."

Kreacher froze, as did Narcissa and Malfoy and for a split second Melinda thought she saw a teary proud look in Kreacher's eyes.

"Right away Mistress," he said, much happier then when he'd arrived.

"How did you know he poisoned it?" Draco asked, looking at his own soup wearily.

Melinda chuckled.

"Sesha could smell it and I always cast a wandless detector spell over my food. Better safe then sorry," she replied. "Don't worry, he wouldn't poison yours unless ordered too."

Draco wasn't sure what to say or think, but Narcissa was used to black humor, pun intended.

"The Order will be here tonight, won't they?" Narcissa asked.

"They will, I'll be heading to the Burrow," Melinda told them, she had lived with them for the past month, she'd grown to trust Narcissa as much as she trusted Draco.

"Is it safe? Leaving the house I mean?" Narcissa asked.

"Maybe you should just stay here," Draco said.

Melinda sighed.

"I can't, I have to find the rest of Tom's Horcruxes or it won't matter where I am," Melinda said, watching as Sesha left from her place wrapped around her arm and slithered over to the maze of ferrets had left for her. The little bottle of antidote had been placed in her soup as she spoke.

"I still can't believe the Dark Lord went to such lengths," Narcissa said, shivering. "We used to have a book in the Black library..."

Melinda nodded.

"I know, Dumbledore had the same book removed from the library years ago. Snape was able to get it for me, I've read it but it didn't say much that I didn't already know. I just hope Hermione can get more from it," Melinda said.

"Just be careful Mel," Draco said, looking at his friend. "It would suck if you got killed."

Melinda laughed, smirking at his words. The rest of lunch was rather silent.

**xXx**

Remus had her against the wall, and as kinky as that sounded – even to her, it wasn't. Actually now that she thought on it, it sounded totally gross. For one he was like an uncle – or maybe that was a bad comparison with the family background she had? - and surrogate godfather all at once.

None of that matter though because the wand pointed at her and the tight grip on her shoulder, close to her neck, ruined the whole thought anyways. Unless you were into the whole asphyxiation thing.

Melinda shook her head mentally, blaming cabin fever for her messed up and scattered thoughts.

A little over a month in a old, dark house with Narcissa Black and Draco Malfoy as company, and not being able to leave the house you'd go a little crazy to.

"What was the creature in my office while I taught Melinda Potter the Patronus Charm?" Remus echoed, nearly poking her eye out in the process.

"Remus," Tonks said, taking a hold of his wand arm. "What are you doing?"

"It has to be done," Remus said, looking over at his wife. "There is a spy among us. I have to be sure."

Melinda knew what this was all about really. The fact someone had betrayed them hit too close to the werewolf. He still remembered the betrayal which had taken all three of his best friends away – James, Lily and Sirius.

He'd only gotten one of them back and then that had only been for about three years, give or take.

"No, Tonks it's fine," Melinda said. "And your question, anyone could find that out. It was a water demon, but as further proof. My father wasn't James Potter. James only adopted me."

Remus smiled in a almost apologetic way and released her, backing away. Tonks wasn't surprised, she'd been one of the privileged few to know, what with having married Remus recently and everything.

"Sorry," he said and then there was sounds from outside.

The others had arrived.

Melinda watched them go and then turned back to George, a look of worry on her face. She had not wanted to use Moody's plan. She hadn't liked it at all, Polyjuice was a great plan for other things but not this. She was at the top of too many kill on sight lists.

When Remus had brought George in it had taken her a few seconds to realize it wasn't Fred who looked half dead. But in those sixty seconds she'd nearly felt her heart stop beating in fear. She didn't know if she could take loosing someone else. Not after Sirius and even Dumbledore's recent death.

"Oh, George," Arthur said lowly, tears coming to his eyes.

It was this that alerted Melinda to the oldest male Weasley's arrival and Fred who went to her first seeing as he had to pass her to get to George.

"You alright love?" Fred asked, brushing back some of her dark hair.

She nodded, leaning up to peck his lips lightly.

"I'm fine, go to George. He needs you right now."

Fred smiled and returned her peck with a deeper kiss which lasted about thirty or so seconds before going over to his twins side.


	25. The Years Before: Year Seven II

**AN: So, here is the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I enjoyed writing it. Seventh year being one of my favorite years. after this chapter the next may be sort of jumpy with scenes. only doing the most important to finish of year seven. **

**So that means we have three more chapters before the sequel which deals with the Lightning Thief and pretty much everything Camp related.  
**

**Melinda will finally get to camp and finally meet Percy face to face.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 25: The Years Before: Year Seven II. **

"Molly does know we're not going back to Hogwarts," Melinda began as she sat down Indian style on the floor facing the bed which Ron and Hermione leaned against. "Right?"

"She knows," Hermione said, petting Sesha absentmindedly as the large snake slithered by her to curl up on Ron's bed behind them.

Ron nodded.

"But you know how my mum is, she won't accept we're gone until were gone," he said.

"How's Fred taking it?" Hermione asked and she sighed.

Melinda had told him over the summer the plan and he'd wanted to come as well. She had refused, she already had to deal with the fact Ron and Hermione wouldn't take no for an answer. She wasn't going to have to worry about Fred getting killed on their hunt for Horcruxes as well.

It had been a fight between them. If it hadn't been for George she didn't think she or Fred would have stopped yelling at one another. She knew no relationship was smooth sailing, she was bound to fight with the redhead every now and then, but that didn't mean she liked fighting with her boyfriend.

"We have bigger things to worry about," Melinda finally said. "Like the Horcruxes."

"Right, did Tom ever tell you what they were? Or maybe your grams?" Hermione asked, her face suddenly very serious.

Melinda looked up as she sighed and then shook her head.

"I wish, but of course that would be much to simple. Besides the locket...I don't know," Melinda said.

Ron frowned.

"What do we know? I mean what were the other Horcruxes? The ones we had so far, how many did he make?" he asked.

Hermione blinked at how wise and intelligent that sounded, and coming from Ron of all people. She smiled lightly, and looked away when his blue orbs found her brown ones.

"The Diary, it was his very first Horcrux. He told me that himself, it's why such a large part of his soul was inside. He didn't have the understanding of how much to break off," Melinda explained. "I don't know what he used next exactly, but Dumbledore found the ring, which he destroyed."

"The ring, which was a family heirloom wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Melinda realized, her eyes bright with sudden realization. "The diary was important to him as well. It was his. He was always possessive of his stuff, because he never had much in the orphanage."

Ron shivered slightly.

"It's kind of creepy how you can talk as if you grew up with him," Ron said, earning glares from both girls.

"Sorry," he muttered, hands up in surrender.

"Anyways, the ring was his grandfathers. He hid it in the ruins of the Gaunt house, where Dumbledore found it."

Hermione hmm'd, and from the way her brow scrunched together you could practically see the gears in her head moving as she thought.

"So the ring was a family heirloom and hid in the Gaunt ruins. The diary was his from school, we can assume one of the first things he bought as a wizard, making it worthy enough. He hid that with his right hand, Lucius Malfoy," Hermione rationalized.

"The Locket was his families heirloom as well, worn by his mother before she sold It while pregnant with him," Melinda told them. "He hid that in the caves he'd visited as a child, where he hurt those two muggle bullies. Showing the first traces of the amount of control he had."

"So he's a sociopath who chooses the most worthy objects to make Horcruxes from?" Ron inquired, kind of confused.

"Of course, he always thought himself special. He couldn't use any old object," Melinda said. "Dumbledore thought the next Horcrux after the locket was Hufflepuff's Cup. He took it after killing the former owner, Hepzibah Smith."

"So we need to find the cup next," Hermione said, sighing. "The hard part is actually finding it."

"I think we're all missing something important here," Ron began, drawing their attention to him. "The ability to destroy them. Do any of us know how to destroy a Horcrux?"

Hermione pulled out the book loaned to her by Melinda, and another book Melinda was confused about until she saw the title and gasped.

"Oh my gods," Melinda breathed. "There is actually a copy of that still around?"

Melinda practically snatched the book from her friends hand and began flipping through it, much to Hermione's annoyance and Ron's weariness. He'd never been very fond of her study of the dark arts, but he understood it was just in Melinda's nature to be curious and want to learn all she could about magic. Even the darker aspects, it was in her blood.

"That book is the most vile thing I've ever read," Hermione said, looking sort of sick as she recalled some of the things she'd read in it. "The more I read the more I found it hard to believe anyone could make one much less seven."

"Voldemort wasn't exactly into morals," Melinda said.

Ron snorted and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So this leads us back to how we destroy them," Ron pointed out once again.

"Right, well it's doesn't exactly say much on the subject," Hermione began.

Melinda looked over the passages in the book and cringed, closing it with a snap.

"Tell me about it," she said. "It's really a gruesome book. Interesting but gruesome, I don't think the Black library has anything on this book."

"Really?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow.

It was no secret the Black family was one of the darkest surviving Pureblood families.

Melinda glared at her friend.

"Well, besides the family secrets but I can't honestly tell you those," she said, rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the question.

Ron was a Pureblood, he should know this.

Hermione gave each of them stern looks before she spoke.

"From all that I've read, what Mel did to the diary was one of the few really foolproof ways of destroying a Horcrux."

"A basilisk fang?" Melinda inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, because we have a large stock of those laying around," Ron said sarcastically.

_::Actually, hairless red monkey, you are wrong. Surprise, surprise,::_ Sesha began, ending in a sarcastic tone

Raising up so Melinda could see her between Hermione and Ron the serpent continued.

_::Setara will develop venom potent enough to drop a elephant in about three months. In two years she'll be nearly as potent as Set was before his death.::_

Melinda blinked.

_::Wait, you're telling me it took Setara nearly sixty years to hatch, yet she'll reach a potency of a thousand year old basilisk in two years?:: _

Sesha gave the snake version of a laugh.

_::Foolish Mistress, basilisks are not like wine. They do not become more potent with age. They all have a certain potency and they normally reach it within their first three years.:: _

_::Can she destroy the Horcruxes?:: _Melinda asked, not caring that her friends were staring at her in confusion.

_::No,:: _Sesha said bluntly and Melinda's left eye began to twitch. _::But Set's corpse still resides in the chamber. The venom does not leave a dead basilisks fangs unless milked.:: _

Melinda smiled.

_::Couldn't have said that before,:: _she said, shaking her head.

"What was that about?" Ron asked.

"The basilisk fangs, there is two in the chamber from were I killed the basilisk in my second year," Melinda explained.

Hermione's eyes brightened up.

"That's brilliant!"

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "But what about getting the Horcruxes to Hogwarts. Death Eaters will be everywhere."

The two girls sighed.

"Are you always this depressing or is it a new development, mate?" Melinda asked.

Ron's ears turned red in embarrassment.

"Is there any other way?" Ron asked a moment later. "A spell maybe?"

"Not that it said. The Horcrux has to be damaged beyond magical repair. basilisk venom is one way, the other is..."

"Phoenix tears," Melinda realized.

Hermione nodded.

"There is one other way, but I don't see Voldemort ever agreeing to it," Hermione said.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Remorse," Hermione replied.

Melinda actually burst out laughing, clutching at her ribs when the laughter got the best of her.

"Lin, seriously," Hermione said, sighing. "How can you find this funny?"

Melinda sat up straight, regaining control of her laughter.

"I'm sorry but I just can't see Voldemort doing that."

"None of us can," Ron agreed.

"What next?" Hermione asked.

Melinda bit her lip and then sighed.

"We need to be ready for anything, figure out a plan. We have to know where we are going when we leave here after the wedding. I just hope it's worth the wait, because the longer we stay here the stronger he gets," Melinda said, looking gravely at her friends who mirrored her expression.

**xXx**

Melinda stared at the Daily Prophet in contempt.

Dumbledore's Dark Secrets Revealed, the front page read.

"Sick isn't it?" Fred asked, leaning against the wall.

He was trying to fix his tie and do up the rest of the buttons on his burgundy colored vest. Melinda smiled at the stumbling movements and placed the paper down and moved over to help him.

"I don't pretend to know the man, or have liked him," Melinda began softly, her fingers working to adjust the tie just right. "But even I don't think it's right how they've tried to paint him the villain so soon after his death. Or whatever they're doing."

Her hands now worked on buttoning up the vest, her eyes never leaving his chest. Her was at least a head taller then her, but they seemed to fit well enough. Fred's eyes never left his girlfriend face as she buttoned the last button, her green eyes shinning.

"Seems rather unplaced doesn't it?" he asked, pushing back some of her loose hair.

Fluer and Gabrielle had taken to straightening it for the wedding and braiding part of the sides and pulling them back with a small iris flower clip in a violet color. Her dress was just below her knees and a pretty blue which made the green of her eyes look more sea colored.

"Your beautiful," Fred said and Melinda smiled, licking her lips.

"I'd say the same but I've been told men don't like being called beautiful," she replied, smiling teasingly.

Fred chuckled, cupping her cheek.

"That's why I love you Lin-Lin," Fred said, leaning forward. "You know how to joke."

Melinda sighed in content as their lips met in a slow yet passion filled kiss. She moved closer, molding her body into his and wrapping her arms around his neck. They might have stayed like that longer if not for the cough behind them.

Breaking apart the two turned to find George. A cup of coffee or possible tea in one hand and his other on the counter he leaned upon. He had a smirk on his face and a white bandage around his head, covering his severed ear. She'd tried to heal it, but her pearl couldn't regrow limbs.

"You have the worst timing," Fred snapped, his eyes narrowed halfheartedly at his twin.

"Sorry to interrupt but the Minister Bones is here to see Melinda," George said after a second.

Melinda blinked in confusion but nodded.

"Alright," she said. "I'll see you at the wedding Fred."

Fred watched her go and then turned on his twin.

"Really, George?" Fred began, shaking his head. "How long were you standing there?"

George snickered.

"Long enough to know Melinda's a pretty good kisser from the looks of things," he replied.

Melinda sat down between Ron and Hermione as Amelia Bones sat in front of them. She looked a lot like Susan, only older and she had gray eyes.

"Minister, what are you doing here?" Melinda asked, the silence getting on her nerves.

"I think you know the answer to that Ms. Potter," Amelia replied and unrolled a leather fabric.

Inside were three items.

"Dumbledore left you three things in his will," Amelia said, a sad tone in her voice. "I've tried to get them released sooner but I've had some trouble as of late."

Hermione looked concerned of that.

"To Ronald Billius Weasley," Amelia began, picking up what appeared to be a lighter. "I leave my dilluminator, in hopes that the light will always be there to lead him home."

Ron looked shocked and hesitantly reached out for the device. He turned it over in his hands and then clicked it open. They were surprised when all the lights flowed into it and then when he opened it again the lights escaped and returned to their former spots.

"To Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my book, tales of beadle and bard," Amelia began picking up the small thick book. "In hopes these tales will be as inspiring to her as they were to me."

Hermione took the book, looking more confused then was normal for the girl.

"Finally, to Lady Melinda Pearl Potter-Black," Amelia began, and Melinda winced as the full name and title. "I leave the snitch from her first game in hopes it shall bring her more victories in the future."

Melinda found it odd Amelia held it out to her and was watching expectantly for her to take it. Like something was supposed to happen when she touched it. It was disappointing because nothing out of the ordinary happened.

"Is that all?" Hermione asked.

Amelia shook her head to clear it and nodded.

"There was one more item, left to Melinda but there were some...complications."

"What sort of complications?" Ron asked.

"Albus left Melinda the sword of Gryffindor," she answered. "The problem is the sword was not his to give. It is a historical artifact and as such belongs to..."

"Melinda," Hermione interrupted. "The sword came to her, it belongs to her now."

Melinda didn't bother to correct Hermione. Truthfully she had no claim to the sword, not even the fact it was created for Godric, most likely under Zeus' commands for his son, gave her any claim.

Her uncle had it forged but it had burnt her at the merest of touches. It had come to her aid, but at the price of enduring pain to use it.

"I might agree Ms. Granger," Amelia said with a sigh. "But it is out of my hands, as it is the sword is currently no where to be found."

Melinda's head snapped up in shock.

"What?"

Amelia blinked, as if she expected them to know this.

"The sword, it's missing."

"How?" Hermione asked.

"We don't know," Amelia said. "I don't know what Albus has you three doing, but you can't fight this war alone Ms. Potter."

Melinda sighed, wishing that was the case but in the end it was her or Voldemort. Neither could live while the other survived after all.

**xXx**

Melinda remembered the blue orb which had arrived and announced the Ministries fall and the death of Amelia Bones. The wedding had been scattered over this and Death Eaters had arrived mere seconds later. She'd tried to help, to run to help Fred but Remus had grabbed her and forced her to leave with Hermione and Ron.

They'd gone somewhere they thought would be safe, a Muggle coffee shop but things hadn't ended well. Death Eaters had shown up and a battle had occurred. They had barely been able to knock the Death Eaters out and Hermione had memory charmed them.

She had been tempted to kill them there but she knew if they did Voldemort would know they'd been there. The last thing she needed was to draw attention to them.

"Whose there?"

Melinda rolled her eyes and sighed as walked further down the hall of Grimmauld Place.

"For Hades sake Dray, don't make yourself know like that," Melinda scolded as she entered the parlor to find Draco and Narcissa. "What if I had been the bad guy?"

Draco smiled at seeing his friend.

"But your not," he said.

"But I could have been."

Narcissa sighed.

"Children, stop bickering," she said and stood, drawing her wand to point at 3/4th of the golden quartet.

It had been agreed that Neville would stay at the school this year to make sure the students were safe. Possibly start up the DA again.

"I hate to do this but prove that your who you say you are," Narcissa said coldly.

Melinda smiled.

"Last month Draco tried to cook and ended up setting the stove on fire which he then proceeded to throw left over grease on instead of water," Melinda said. "If you need more proof..."

"No, that'll do," Narcissa said, putting her wand away. "Welcome home, are you three alright?"

Narcissa was rather kind of the Black sisters and had been close to Andromeda growing up. She was a Pureblood, through and through, but she didn't have the same problem with Muggle-Borns as most her family. It was why she didn't bat a eyelash to seeing Hermione.

"We are now," Melinda said, her shoulder slumping in relief at being somewhere they could rest. "I think I'm going to let Ron and Hermione explain, I just want to sleep right now."

Melinda didn't wait for a reply she simply left up the stairs to her room. Leaving Hermione and Ron to explain.

**xXx**

The next few days the trio stayed at the old black home, and not to Melinda's surprise, Draco and Narcissa gave them space. The mother and son duo understood the three had a mission and they would just get in the way if they tried to be part of the discussions and such.

It wasn't long that Melinda found one of the many mysteries they had yet to uncover. She had been in her room when she'd knocked into a floorboard and it popped up.

Inside she found some pictures of two boys and then the younger boy – she recognized Sirius in the former and the younger boy which was in all of them looked a lot like her godfather – with others she didn't know.

The biggest find was a diary, on the front it said, Regulus Arcturus Black in big silver letters.

R.A.B.

She could have hit herself. It was here the whole bloody time and she didn't realize it.

"I'm so stupid," Mel announced as she slammed the pictures and diary onto the dinning room table.

Ron and Hermione jumped.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, I've been sleeping in his old room for years now. I remember Sirius taking the name plate off the bedroom door and replacing it with mine."

"R.A.B," Hermione said, her eyes suddenly bright. "You found him!"

"huh, do you think he wrote about what he knew of the Horcruxes in there?" Ron asked.

Melinda smirked.

"You bet," she said, turning the diary to the last page.

It was marked July 1987.

_I have been foolish. How could I believe in a mad mans dream? It is true, the Muggles are a threat should they find out about us but I see no true reason to eradicate the Muggle-Borns. Maybe once upon a time my lord had intentions with promise, but I have come to learn he is not well. _

_Lord Voldemort is ill and I pray to Mother Hecate herself for redemption of my soul and his. I do not believe he was always this mad man but I know he must be stopped. The reason behind this all, the beginning of it all lies with a dark piece of magic I have found. _

_It shocked me beyond believe that my lord would stoop so low. Not even Blacks have gone to such lengths for power. We are said to be dark but even we don't reach into the Blackest of magic, not dark but Black...into soul magic. Archaic it may be, but it is more dangerous. Only a mad man, or a desperate one would attempt such methods. _

_I do not place blame. Not on my lord, or on those who created him as evil of his length can only be created. I have made up my mind. I shall enlist help from Kreacher to steal the my lord Horcrux from the cave. I shall switch it with a copy and find a way to destroy it. _

_After this I will find a way to get the cup. It is a long shot but I hope by destroying these abominations to magic I will free my lord from his madness. I do not have great hopes for this, it is more likely I shall be killed for my betrayal. Lord Voldemort does not take disloyalty lightly. _

_If I should die before my next entry then I pray I have finished what I started and if not that Kreacher or whomever find this diary will. _

_May Mother Hecate be with you,_

_R.A.B. _

Melinda read this in such a way it sounded as if they were there while it was being written.

"The cup, he mentioned the cup," Hermione realized. "So the next Horcrux _is_ Hufflepuff's cup."

"But where is it?"

Melinda sighed and flipped through the rest of the pages.

"I don't know...wait," Melinda said, turning a page back at the one sentence written on the back of one of the blank pages. "Here...Vault – July 31st, 1987."

"He was going to a vault, on that day?" Ron asked.

Melinda sighed, shutting the diary.

"He would have, had he lived," Melinda said. "Regulus Black died on July 30th, 1987. It's on the family tapestry."

"Great, so the cup is still in this unknown vault," Ron grumbled.

"And we still have no way to get rid of these things," Melinda added, placing the Locket on the table in front of her.

It was then they heard the rumbling, and then Kreacher tumbled from a kitchen cupboard.

"Kreacher?" she asked, surprised and standing up.

"Mistress, Mistress must listen to Kreacher!" the house elf cried as he stumbled and Melinda grimaced at the Deja Vu feeling she got.

Kreacher reminded her of Dobby at the moment. Which reminded her, had Draco let the old house elf off Hogwarts kitchen duty recently?

"Kreacher, Kreacher calm down and tell me whats wrong," she snapped, her voice slightly cold and very stern.

Kreacher looked at her and took a deep breath.

"I is sorry Mistress, but I heard everything. Master Regulus, poor Master Regulus. He trusted me to destroy his Locket but I failed. I could not destroy it and then you found it."

"Kreacher, did Master Regulus ever tell you what vault he was going to visit on July 31st, 1987?" Hermione asked.

Kreacher seemed hesitant to answer Hermione but one look from Melinda had him speaking.

"No, I am sorry Mistress," Kreacher said, looking at Melinda as if she'd been the one to ask. "I not know."

The trio sighed in disappointment.

"Now what?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione said. "What about Tachýs...can it destroy the Horcrux?"

Melinda blinked.

"I've never actually tried," Melinda admitted. "Even if it does work I don't want to do it here. The diary was different, more sentient but I know if this was my soul it wouldn't let itself be killed without a fight."

"We need to find the sword of Gryffindor," Hermione said suddenly. "If Melinda is right and it was used to destroy the ring...then maybe it can destroy the others if Melinda's sword doesn't work."

"But how?" Ron asked. "It's missing."

"Kreacher, can you look around Hogwarts and Diagon Alley in case of any word on it," Melinda said, looking at the house elf who perked up.

She hadn't seen Kreacher this happy in...well ever.

"Right away Mistress," he said and popped away.

"Was that smart?" Ron asked.

Melinda shrugged.

"Better then nothing," she said. "Get prepared guys, I have a feeling everything is going to get much harder now."

Hermione nodded.

"You're right, especially sense I think the first place to look for the sword is in the Ministry," Hermione said, leaving her two friends to gap at her in disbelief.


	26. The Years Before: Year Seven III

**AN: So, before I say anything else. I want to announce a poll on my profile concerning Melinda's animagus form. I struggled with deciding if she'd even have one but I've decided she will. So the poll is up and please, go vote. **

**I had some good ones picked, all birds because I want to give her a way to fly without Zeus being able to blast her besides her broom - which I think once Zeus finds out won't be all that safe anymore. But I need help choosing which one suits her best.  
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**Now, onto this chapter.  
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**It was fun to write, I took most inspiration for scenes from the book though rewritten to suit Melinda and how she is. But as always anything you recognize doesn't belong to me, but to be honest besides a few original characters and the plot of the fanfiction what does?  
**

**This chapter was way longer then I wanted, but I couldn't bring myself to delete anything. So those who love long chapters will love me, those who don't will hate me most likely. lol.  
**

**I do hope you all enjoy the conclusion to year seven. Next we have two part epilogue and then a sequel following her time at camp, as I've said many times already.  
**

**Enjoy!  
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* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 26: The Years Before: Year Seven III. **

She was dreaming and she knew it.

At first it was the usual, seeing Voldemort as he yelled at his most loyal for not finding where she was, where Draco and Narcissa had hidden themselves away at.

He spoke the last specifically to Lucius who looked older then ever, and worn down. Azkaban had not been good for the Malfoy Patriarch.

"You have all disappointed me..." Voldemort said in a slow hissing voice, though it felt more like she was speaking then him. "...an.."

Melinda didn't now what happened next as she was forced out of the vision/dream thing with Voldemort. Looking around she realized she was in the underworld...yet something was wrong.

This wasn't the place she'd been before her third year when her grams had wanted to talk to her in her dreams.

She let out a breath she didn't know she'd held and shivered when she saw spirits of the dead around her. How she'd missed them before she wasn't sure. She barely realized she was walking until she saw the hole, pit like place she was being drawn to.

She gulped, trying to stop moving forward but she stopped on her own once she was inches from the edge of the pit. It seemed to yawn with power and darkness...nearly evil.

She couldn't say it was completely evil, but it reminded her enough of Voldemort's presence, but worse. So much worse.

_'Help me, daughter of Poseidon...' _Melinda gasped, shivering all at once as the voice like steel bear traps gripped her and reached her ears._ '...do not be a slave to the gods. What have they ever done for you?' _

She wanted to speak, to yell at whoever this was to leave her alone but it seemed she didn't need too. The voice laughed, the sound like spiders crawling up and down her spine.

_'I can give you what you want...all you have to do is help me rise!' _

The voice seemed so sincere and yet she knew there was deception in it, before she could realize more she felt the voices grip on her tighten and she gasped as if in need of air.

She felt like she was being pulled further toward the pit seconds later. Into the pit, she realized with her eyes wide.

She let out a strangled, terrified gasp as her foot hit the edge and she fell into the black yawning pit.

Melinda shot up with terrified eyes, sweat covering her face and body, and her blue tank top was visibly wet from it. She choked in breaths of air and shivered.

Whoever that had been, he was so much worse then Voldemort. It was something she hadn't dreamed was possible, until now that is.

She knew the voice from the pit wanted her to help him, but she would not. She refused to be the pawn of evil, anyone's pawn really.

She respected the gods and her father because they could easily kill her if they desired. Because they were family, and she'd never had much family to be loyal to but it was important to her nonetheless.

_'But he's right...the gods are selfish. They'll use us and throw us away.'_ a small voice in the back of her mind said and she closed her eyes and shook her head.

She cursed her fatal flaw in that moment, but she wouldn't allow the temptation to get to her.

It didn't take her long to realize it was only six in the morning and Melinda knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

So instead she got up and went down stairs where she curled up on the couch in front of the fire place of the entertainment room – most likely the room Walburga Black had hosted countless dinner parties or whatever you wanted to call them – and read from one of many dark tomes from the family library.

She was mostly looking for anything that might help them on their hunt.

"You're up early," Hermione said, coming to sit down beside Melinda, a cup of hot chocolate in her hand.

Melinda eyed the cup and Hermione smiled and offered the witch some. Melinda smiled and took a sip of the hot liquid before handing it back to Hermione.

"Ron still asleep?" she asked.

"Hmm, he sleeps like a log.." Hermione began but was interrupted by the sleepy voice of Ron.

"What was that Mione?" he asked midway yawn so it came out nearly unrecognizable as words.

"Nothing Ron, did you sleep well?" Hermione asked, changing the subject.

Ron flopped down on the chair across from the two girls and nodded.

"Yeah, though it's kind of early to be awake," he grumbled. "Where are the two Malfoys?"

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Narcissa is most likely in her room reading until it's late enough for breakfast. Draco is undoubtedly asleep," she replied, knowing the two well enough after a month and half of living with them.

Ron opened his mouth as if to say something when there was a loud noise from the hallway leading to the front door, and the sound of the dust-ghost Dumbledore coming to life. Melinda had thought to dispel it seeing as she had nothing to fear from Snape coming here.

She knew whose side he was truly on and it wasn't Voldemort's. But she knew it made Narcissa feel better that it might scare anyone unwanted away. The woman's greatest fear was being found, and Melinda had a terrible feeling about it.

"I did not kill you, Albus," a male voice spoke calmly and Melinda smiled.

The trio had stood and approached slowly with their wands drawn but when they'd heard the voice they'd lowered their wands slightly. Then a tall figure came into the light of the room, revealing Remus Lupin.

"Remus," Hermione said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I thought the worse for a moment."

Melinda shot Hermione and look and stepped closer, drawing her bone dagger from the back waistband of her pants and holding it behind her back while raising her wand to point steadily at Remus' chest.

"Mate, what are..." Ron began and then he understood. "Oh..right."

Hermione blinked and then she sighed, realizing what she'd missed. They couldn't be sure this was the real Remus Lupin, not yet.

"Prove it's you Remus," Melinda said coldly.

Remus simply smiled, a bit of pride and amusement in his amber eyes.

"I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I taught you how to produce a Patronus, Melinda, which takes the form of a stag."

Remus then smirked mischievously.

"And for future reference, Mel, when there is a werewolf in the house don't think you can have booty calls with lover boy and not be found out."

Melinda paled drastically and Hermione gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock and later amusement. Ron simply stared ahead of him as he tried to riddle out what Remus had said.

"Oh, blooming hell!" Ron cried, his face twisting in different degrees of horror and disgust. "You had sex with Fred?"

Melinda sighed.

"No Ronald, I had sex with George," she snapped. "Of course it was Fred! Who else?"

Remus laughed, a wolfish laugh which reminded her of Sirius sometimes. Sirius' laugh had been barkish, she'd always thought it had to do with Sirius' animagus form being canine in nature, and then a werewolf was a rather large canine.

"Oh, laugh it up. Cruel Uncle Moony," Melinda said, pouting a little at the end.

Melinda then wrapped him in a hug, and a moment later they went to a more privet setting to talk. It was as they sat down that they noticed how worn out Remus looked while wrapped in a thick black traveling cloak, but he also look relieved to find them alive.

"No sign of Severus, then?" he asked. "You said he was going to keep you updated on things going on?"

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"No, but he didn't exactly say that. He said he'd help us where he could. I have a feeling Georges ear was in order to save him. I can't be sure but Snape may be foul but he wouldn't do it for no reason. Not to mention his aim is good, there is no way he missed by accident."

"Right," Ron said. "You have some faith in some of the oddest people, Mel."

"I go with my instincts, besides. I know a few things about Snape that makes me more willing to look outside the box, so to say."

"Yes, quite," said Lupin, recalling how Severus had been close friends with Lily.

"Is everyone else alright, I mean..." Hermione looked at Melinda and Ron who had the most to loose from the attack on the wedding.

Lupin nodded before saying, "Everyone is fine, but we're all being watched like hawks. There are a couple of Death Eaters in the square outside –"

"We know –" Melinda cut in. "It's been rather annoying, I've been contemplating shooting curses at them from the second floor."

Remus snorted.

"You've been living in this house for too long, Lin," Remus said, shaking his head.

"So how did you get in without being seen?" Hermione asked, changing the subject back to something more pertinent.

"I had to Apparate very precisely onto the top step outside the front door to be sure they couldn't see me. They obviously don't realize you're in here or they'd have more guards. And probably have tried to storm the place by now. They're staking out everywhere that's got any connection with you, Melinda. They'd already raided your relatives home in Surrey," Remus said.

Melinda's eyes widened and her head snapped up in shock.

"Are they..."

Remus sighed.

"Petunia survived, but your cousin and Vernon died in the attack," he said. "We didn't want to tell you, but Petunia wanted to talk to you."

Melinda could hardly believe what she was hearing. Her Aunt, of all people, wanted to talk to her? Melinda shook her head. She wasn't saddened by her cousin or uncles deaths, she felt very little about it.

The same could be said about her Aunt but she couldn't imagine what her aunt wanted to talk to her about.

Petunia hated her, and she hated her aunt. It was a mutual feeling between the Dursley's and herself.

"She in a hotel somewhere or something?" Melinda asked.

"The Order set her up at a safe house in Wales. She was in a hospital for a few days though, she was probably left alive because the Death Eaters thought they'd killed her during the raid."

Melinda sighed and stood, going to the fridge – or whatever wizards wanted to call it, to her it just looked like a fridge – and got some butterbeers before returning.

"If I survive I'll go see her, I guess," Melinda said, shrugging. "Can't be worse then any other family reunion I might have in the future."

Remus smiled, and then told them how everyone had survived the attack on the wedding with minor injuries. Charlie had taken a cutting curse which had been the worse of the injuries but he'd be fine in a few days.

"I'd have been here three days ago but I had to shake off the Death Eater tailing me," said Remus. "So, you came straight here after the wedding?"

"No," said Melinda, "only after we ran into a couple of Death Eaters in a café on Tottenham Court Road. You should know our luck by now. If anything can go wrong it will go wrong."

Remus choked on his butterbeer and the trio had to hold back their snickers when it covered his front.

"What?"

They explained what had happened and by the end Remus was messaging his temples.

"But how did they find you? It's impossible to track anyone who Apparates, unless you grab hold of them as they disappear. The trace would have be gone by then as well."

Hermione sighed, her own logical guess now confirmed to be wrong.

"We assumed it had been the trace..." Hermione muttered.

Remus shook his head.

"Impossible, the trace only last until you're seventeen. It can not be kept on longer, as was written by Merlin himself. Even the ministry can't keep it on longer, it's an ancient law that can't be messed with. It's worrying, really worrying."

He looked disturbed, but as far as Melinda was concerned, that question could wait.

"How is everyone now?" Melinda asked. "I know you said no one was seriously hurt but it's been over a week now."

"Kingsley saved us, thankfully," said Remus. "Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to Disapparate before they arrived. You are aware of that part though."

"Were they Death Eaters or Ministry people?" interjected Hermione.

"A mixture; but to all intents and purposes they're the same thing now," Remus answered.

"There were about a dozen of them, but they didn't know you were there, Melinda. Arthur heard a rumor that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Amelia before they killed her; if it's true, she didn't give you away."

Melinda sighed, feeling guilty about Minister Bones' death.

Remus went on to explain how thy searched the Burrow and found the ghoul but didn't go near it. He then told them how they'd been questioned but no one had revealed anything, though only the order had known she'd been there.

"At the same time that they were smashing up the wedding, more Death Eaters were forcing their way into every Order-connected house in the country. No deaths," he added quickly, "but they were rough. They burned down Daedalus Diggle's house, but as you know he wasn't there, and they used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonks's family."

Melinda gasped, her eyes wide. She'd met Andromeda and Ted once or twice in the past, they were family after all. She had brought Sirius, Andromeda and Tonks back into the Black family not long after she'd become Lady Black.

She'd all but forgotten about it until she went to study the family tapestry and realized how many burn spots was on it.

Unfortunately she couldn't bring anyone else back that had been burned off. There was a Thirty year limit on how long one could be disowned and reinstated before it was no longer possible.

"The Death Eaters got through all those protective charms?"

Remus sighed.

"It's bad Mel, everything has gone to hell in a hand-basket," he said. "The Ministry is now part of You-Know-Who's army. I believe it's only the few order members still working there that we can trust. The community is terrified to leave their homes or trust anyone. It's like history is repeating itself."

"And of course there are those who probably blame me since they're searching for me so hard," Melinda muttered, shaking her head.

"And are they bothering to give an excuse for torturing Melinda's whereabouts out of people?" asked Hermione, her voice showing every ounce of outrage portrayed on her face.

"Well, you won't like it," Lupin said. He hesitated, then pulled out a folded copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Here," he said, pushing it across the table to Melinda, "you'll know sooner or later anyway. That's their pretext for going after you. A loud of bullshit if you ask me."

Melinda smoothed out the paper. A huge photograph of her face filled the front page. Gritting her teeth and clinching her jaw she read the headline over it:

_**WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE.**_

Ron and Hermione gave roars of outrage, but Melinda said nothing. She twitched before crumbling the prophet up and it burst into flames wandlessly. She regretted doing it a moment later when the drain of using her natural magic set in. Fire had always been hard for her to conjure, wandless or with a wand, because her affinity for water counteracted it.

"I'm sorry, Melinda," Remus said.

"So Death Eaters have taken over the Daily Prophet too?" asked Hermione furiously.

He nodded.

"I think they already had a lot of it to begin with," Remus said.

"But surely people realize what's going on?"

"No, and if they do they're not going to say anything," he countered. "You don't understand how this is effecting people Hermione. You were just a baby, like Melinda and Ron, when the first war happened. It was mayhem, people were dying everyday and no one, I mean no one, knew who to turn to. Or where to turn, it was like playing Russian roulette with no idea if the wand you have on hand is fake or real."

Hermione looked as if she'd swallowed her tongue, her eyes holding fear as she thought of what Remus had revealed.

"And the Minister for Magic?" Ron asked, finding his voice a few seconds later.

"The official version of Amelia's murder is that she resigned; she has been replaced by Pius Thicknesse, who is under the Imperius Curse."

"Why didn't Voldemort declare himself Minister of Magic?" asked Ron.

Remus and Melinda laughed.

"He doesn't need to, Ron. Effectively, he is the Minister, but why should he sit behind a desk at the Ministry? His puppet, Thicknesse, is taking care of everyday business, leaving Voldemort free to extend his power beyond the Ministry."

"It's the perfect Slytherin strategy," Melinda muttered, a almost grudging admiration in her voice. "I can't wait to pull it out from under his scaly arse."

"Obviously people have noticed but as I've said, no one will say anything. Yes, Voldemort is playing a very clever game. Declaring himself might have provoked open rebellion: Remaining masked has created confusion, uncertainty, and fear."

"Apparently I've become undesirable number 1," Melinda said, rolling her eyes. "Great, I'm a fugitive now. Though I find it amusing he could have pulled that off considering I'm the head of two powerful Pureblood families. Surely that caused some scrutiny."

"Certainly," Remus said. "But they don't plan to kill you Melinda, just capture you and bring you in alive. Voldemort seems to think you can be swayed or something. I think only Voldemort knows how he is placating the Purebloods who find it a great scandal to print the Lady Potter-Black in such a light."

"Meanwhile, the Ministry has started moving against Muggle-borns now."

Remus gave Melinda a look of exasperation when he looked to the pile of ash that had once been the prophet. She returned a sheepish smile back to him.

"Anyways, they're having all Muggle-Borns register their status. A so called survey to understand how they came to have magic. Apparently they're trying to sell it as Muggle-Borns taking magic by force to use as their own."

"Muggle-born Register!" Hermione practically screamed. "That's...that's just barbaric. It's sick!"

"Stealing magic, that's ridiculous," Melinda scoffed.

"People won't let this happen," said Ron.

"It is happening, Ron," said Remus. "Muggle-borns are being rounded up as we speak."

"But how are they supposed to have 'stolen' magic?" said Ron. "It's mental, if you could steal magic there wouldn't be any Squibs, would there?"

"I know," Remus said, sighing. "Nevertheless, unless you can prove that you have at least one close Wizarding relative, you are now deemed to have obtained your magical power illegally and must suffer the punishment."

Ron glanced at Hermione, then said, "What if Purebloods and Half-Bloods swear a Muggle-born's part of their family? I'll tell everyone Hermione's my cousin –"

Hermione covered Ron's hand with hers and squeezed it.

"Thank you, Ron, but I couldn't let you –"

"You won't have a choice," said Ron fiercely, gripping her hand back. "I'll teach you my family tree so you can answer questions on it."

Hermione gave a shaky laugh.

"Ron, as we're on the run with Melinda Potter, the most wanted person in the country, I don't think it matters. If I was going back to school it would be different, but we're not."

Melinda nodded.

"Speaking of Hogwarts, what's Voldemort planning for Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Attendance is now compulsory for every young witch and wizard," he replied, a look of disgust on his face as he shook his head.

"That was announced yesterday. It used to be the parents choice but now there is no choice. This way Voldemort will have every young witch or wizard under his control from an early age. And it's also another way of weeding out Muggle-borns, because students must be given Blood Status – meaning that they have proven to the Ministry that they are of Wizard descent – before they are allowed to attend."

Melinda felt sickened and angry. More angry then sick, she had to work hard not to burst the water-pipes in her anger.

"This war is really..."

"I know."

Remus stayed silent for a moment. He knew Melinda might not be able to tell him but he needed to ask. He had to ask, James and Sirius would have wanted him to protect Melinda.

I'll understand if you can't confirm this, Melinda, but the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left you a mission."

"He did," Melinda replied, "and Ron and Hermione are coming with me."

"Can you confide in me what the mission is?"

Melinda looked into the prematurely lined face, framed in thick but graying hair, and wished that she could return an answer he'd be relieved to hear. She had no true loyalty to Dumbledore, just some respect for the old man but she could tell there was another reason Remus had come and she knew she wouldn't like it.

"I can't, Remus. If the old man didn't tell you I don't think I can."

"I thought you'd say that," Remus said, disappointed "But I might still be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me exactly what you were up to."

Melinda hesitated. It was a very tempting offer, and she wanted to cry out in relief and joy at the prospect of more help. She didn't want to show everyone just how stressed and terrified she truly was.

They looked at her to be their leader, to know what to do and she just didn't. She was seventeen years old, she had barely lived, how was she to know what to do? She was just a girl, just one person with the weight of a world on her shoulders.

Hermione looked confused as she processed what he'd asked.

"But what about Tonks?" she asked.

"What about her?" said Remus, freezing up some.

That was when Melinda came out of her own self pity party and gave her honorary godfather a hard penetrating stare. Remus flinched inwardly at the stare, so like her mother. Lily had the same soul searching look about her when she'd caught the scent of deceit.

You're married, Remus! How does she feel about this?" Hermione asked, her tone clearly thinking it was obvious what she had meant.

"Tonks will be perfectly safe," Remus said dismissively, "She'll be at her parents' house."

His tone worried Melinda, it was almost cold. There was also something odd in the idea of Tonks remaining hidden at her parents' house; she was an order member, and nothing would stop her cousin through the Black inheritance and adoption, from being in the thick of things.

Well, except for the baby, Melinda realized and her eyes widened.

"Remus," said Hermione tentatively, "is everything all right . . . you know . . . between you and – "

"Everything is fine, thank you."

Seeing the looks of uncertainty Remus sighed, and slumped forward some.

"Tonks is pregnant"

"Oh, how wonderful!" squealed Hermione, her face lighting up.

Melinda couldn't help but smile as well, at least that meant nothing bad had happened to the baby or Tonks since the wedding. For a minute she'd been worried.

"Excellent!" said Ron, leaning over to clap Remus on the back.

"Congratulations," said Melinda, smiling.

Lupin gave an artificial smile that was more like a grimace, then said, "So . . . do you accept my offer? I reckon Dumbledore wouldn't have disapproved and Sirius and James would want me to protect you."

Ron and Hermione both looked at Melinda who had froze for a moment before standing up.

"Remus, I don't understand. Tonks is pregnant and you want to go on the run with us?" she asked.

"Tonks will be fine where she is, Andromeda and Ted would never let their daughter or grandchild be hurt," he said, though they all saw the flinch when he said grandchild.

"Are you sure?" Hermione questioned, her voice small and soft.

None of them could hardly believe what they were hearing.

"I'm sure, James would have wanted it this way."

"I BEG TO DIFFER MOONY!"

Remus stood up straight in shock and looked around.

"It came from the portrait..." Melinda was cut off by a sound behind them.

They turned and saw her parents had migrated from their own portrait to one in the kitchen, behind the table.

"Prongs, Flower," Remus breathed, looking at the portrait for only a moment.

"I may just be a impression, Moony, but I'm pretty sure I would have wanted to know why you were trying to abandon your family."

"Ditto," Melinda said, coolly, her arms crossed across her chest.

Remus's face drained of color. The temperature in the kitchen might have dropped ten degrees.

"You don't understand," Lupin said, sighing.

James snorted from his portrait, and Lily gave her husband a pointed look.

"Explain, then," snapped Melinda, rather impatient.

"I – I made a grave mistake when I agreed to marry Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and have regretted it very much ever since."

"I see," Melinda said, "so you're just going to dump her and the kid and run off with us? I don't know Remus, that sounds pretty horrible to me. I know you love her, and I know Tonks loves you."

"You knew about the baby already didn't you?" Remus muttered, his head still down as he glared at the floor.

"Of course, Tonks told me not long after I arrived at the burrow in July," Melinda said, rolling her eyes. "I guessed, it was pretty obvious with the way she acted."

Remus sprang to his feet then: His chair toppled over backward, and he glared so fiercely that Melinda saw, for the first time ever, a shadow of the wolf upon his human face.

"Don't you understand then? What I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast!"

Melinda didn't even care that he'd broken her chair when he'd kicked it a second later, or that he thrown the butterbeer bottle at the wall, shattering it and a priceless vase from five centuries ago.

"Save me the sob story, Remus. Tonks was a Half-Blood, a outcast already, because of the fact her mother was a disowned Black. The fact she's a Metamorphmagus didn't help her all that much, besides with her job. Even if none of that was true she wouldn't have married you if she cared!"

"Oh, please don't fight," Lily said from her portrait.

She was ignored.

"You have only seen me amongst the Order, or under Dumbledore's protection at Hogwarts! You don't know how most of the Wizarding world sees creatures like me! When they know of my affliction, they can barely talk to me! Don't you see what I've done? Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their only daughter to marry a werewolf? And the child – the child – "

"Don't tell me what I do and do not know Remus John Lupin!" Melinda yelled, by now everyone was sure Narcissa and Draco were up from the commotion.

"I lived with you for years. I am very aware how being a werewolf has effected you but how can you sit here and say this crap? Andromeda was happy Tonks had found someone, even if it was you. For Merlin's sake she married a Muggle-born, the deepest of shames amongst the Black family, what does she care if you turn a little fury once or twice a month!"

"You can't know Melinda! My kind don't have children, not usually. What kind of father can I be when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child? And if, by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed!"

"Remus!" Lily exclaimed from her portrait.

"How could any child of yours be ashamed?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, Hermione," said Melinda. "I'd be pretty ashamed of him right now. I thought he was the smart Marauder, obviously I was wrong"

Remus looked as though Melinda had run him through with Tachýs.

"Tell him how it is Ladybug!" James cheered, and then flinched from the hit Lily had delivered upside his painted head.

"James hush," Lily whispered fiercely.

"What will the Ministry think of a half-werewolf whose father's in the Order? James died trying to protect my mother and me, and you think he'd tell you to abandon your kid to go on an adventure with us? Seem pretty cowardly to me."

"How – how dare you?" Remus said, shaking. "This is about keeping you safe, not some sense of adventure –"

"I think you're finally letting your old age catch up with you, feeling a bit caught between your missed youth and fatherhood," Melinda said, "You fancy stepping into Sirius's shoes perhaps –"

"Melinda, no!" Hermione begged, but she continued to glare at their old defense professor.

"I'd never have believed this," Melinda said. "The man who taught how to conjure a Patronus, who was there for me the most when Sirius died – a deadbeat father and coward."

Lupin drew his wand so fast that Melinda had barely reached for her own; there was a loud bang and she felt herself flying backwards into the wall as if punched by a...werewolf.

"Moony, mate, that's my daughter!" James called from his portrait, glaring at Remus who stared on in horror at what's he'd done and then turned and left at a run.

"Remus, Remus, wait!" Hermione cried, but Lupin did not respond.

A moment later they heard the front door slam.

"Melinda!" wailed Hermione. "How could you?"

"It was easy," said Melinda, standing from where she'd slid down the wall.

She had a split lip and a lump forming on her head.

"Don't look at me like I killed your cat Mione!" she snapped at Hermione.

"Don't you start on her, Mel!" snarled Ron, stepping forward as if to protect Hermione.

"All of you shut up!" Lily yelled from her portrait.

The trio looked at the portrait and Lily sighed.

"You can't fight, it'll drive you apart. Don't let it drive you apart, the war," she said, a sad tone in her voice.

Hermione sniffed and nodded.

"Mrs. Potter is right.'

"I don't think you should have said that stuff to Lupin, mate," Ron told Melinda.

"He had it coming, no parent should abandoned their child unless they have no choice," said Melinda.

Broken images were racing through her mind: Sirius falling through the veil because he'd saved her from the spell Bellatrix meant for her; a flash of green light and his mother's voice, begging for mercy . . . Poseidon explaining why he couldn't have raised her.

Then her own resentment for the very fact she'd been left alone for so long, that she could have had it all if her mother had went to Poseidon for help. If Poseidon had been able to raise her.

She didn't want that baby growing up anything like her, he or she deserved to have both it's parents.

Lily and James both stared down sadly at their daughter.

"Your father loves you, Melinda," Lily suddenly said. "It wasn't his fault he couldn't have been there for you."

Melinda sighed, shaking her head of anything to do with family so she could focus on other more important things.

"I know I shouldn't have called him a coward, but it made him go back to Tonks and that's what matters."

With that Melinda left the room, heading for the bathroom. Not bothering to glance back her friends or parents portrait. Right now she just wanted to be alone.

**xXx**

Months passed after that day, the day which had marked what they would do next. The same day Kreacher had returned with Dobby of all elves and they'd brought Dung with them. Mundungus that is, the thief had been of little help except for the fact a toad lady had been talking about the sword during one of his busy days.

Seemed Umbridge had been let back in by Voldemort or something.

Melinda had taken pleasure in punching Mundungus in the nose, hard enough it broke, for stealing from her and Sirius. Sirius might not have cared but this was her home, her second home after Hogwarts. The place she'd lived after Sirius had adopted her and taken her away from her dreadful relatives.

Everything, no matter the value or darkness, had meaning to her. It belonged to her now, and she'd always been rather possessive of her stuff, mostly because she'd never had much as a child.

When she'd realized this she'd had to grimace at another similarity between her and Voldemort, or maybe more accurately, Tom. She wasn't sure how Voldemort might react...then again she knew she'd find out soon enough.

If it was her soul pieces being gathered and destroyed she knew she'd be beyond pissed.

After that they'd devised a plan to break into the Ministry. It had gone well until they'd ended up in a trail for a Muggle-born woman, the wife of the man Ron had taken hairs from for the Polyjuice.

They'd barely escaped, but in the process they'd been followed and the secret of Grimmauld Place had been revealed.

Hermione had been the first to notice and Apparated them away but Ron had been splinched in the process. She had called to Kreacher to see if Draco and Narcissa had gotten out alright but he hadn't come.

A few nights later she knew what had happened to the mother and son duo, they were back at Malfoy Manor. Voldemort had been livid with the two, but Narcissa had, like a true Slytherin sworn that it was done out of loyalty to him.

That she was simply getting information for him. Then proceeded to reveal some none-important as far as Melinda was concerned information.

Melinda knew this could happen, and she knew as long as Voldemort believed Narcissa and Draco did as told the two would be fine.

Not long after they'd begun hiding out in the forest or wherever they ended up, Hermione being clever enough to set up wards to keep them safe from snatchers, they'd tried to destroy the Horcrux they had.

No spell they tried had worked, Melinda had even thrown a killing curse at it. It had scratched the it but didn't destroy it. Then she'd tried Tachýs.

At first it looked like it might have worked, the locket had smoked but it proved to soon to celebrate. The locket had survived even that.

It was early December when things went south.

"I don't understand," Hermione said. "How a killing curse didn't work, and Tachýs. It's a metal of the gods, how could it not have worked?"

Melinda sat in the chair, listening as Hermione rambled on, and cut her hair at the same time.

"I don't know, it might have something to do with the fact it's a soul it's trying to destroy. Celestial Bronze won't harm mortals, just monsters and demigods. I don't know how, if any, damage it would do to a witch or wizard. You're still technically mortal," Melinda said, frowning.

"Right, but the killing curse..."

"It's the first time I've ever cast it with any real intent. I might not have been powerful enough to pull it off, or maybe.." Melinda sighed. "Maybe I just don't have it in me to cast it right."

Ron snorts from where he sits.

"Could have fooled me," Ron muttered. "Looked pretty deadly to me."

Melinda ignored this and Hermione stopped mid snip and gasped.

"Oh, how could I've been so stupid!" she cried, and ran back towards the table in the tent, a lot like the one used at the Quidditch World Cup.

Melinda's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked, her hands going back to make sure her hair was fine. "Hermione?"

"I'll tell you in a minute," she called and Melinda got up and followed Hermione.

"Why don't you tell me know, and pretend you wait till later?" she asked smartly.

"The sword of Gryffindor, it's goblin made," Hermione announced.

"Okay..." Melinda said, not quite understanding.

"You don't understand, Goblin made items don't rust or anything else damaging. It only takes in that which makes it stronger!"

Melinda's eyes widened.

"The basilisk venom!" she cried. "The blade, I used it to kill the Basilisk. If it only takes in what makes it stronger then it should still have the venom on the blade. Which means it can destroy a Horcrux."

Hermione beamed, nodding.

"Exactly, sometimes I wonder where you put that brain Mel," she said. "If we could only find the sword..."

"Which is the problem."

Hermione nodded.

"What I don't understand is why Tachýs wasn't impregnated with venom as well?"

"You said it yourself, it's made of godly metals. Not to mention forged under the sea, it's a weapon of the ocean, which can wash away practically anything. It's probably unable to keep that sort of thing attached to the blade. I think we'd have to ask the ones who forged it to really know."

"We've still got the problem of..." Hermione was cut off by the lights going out and then Ron appeared from where he'd been in the living area of the tent.

"Forget about me? Yeah," Ron said, his face grim. "I'm still here."

Melinda stood slowly, already knowing things were about to get ugly. She was right, after that the yelling started. Melinda might have been able to brush it off it he'd not brought up her dead parents. Her mother and adopted father had always been a semi-touchy subject. Ron somehow knew how to push all the right buttons.

In the end Ron had left, leaving Hermione to sob, the Horcrux left in Melinda's hands as she stormed off to be alone. For once in a long time The Golden Quartet had went from always having at least a Trio together, to being a duo.

It felt as if they'd divided down the center and she truly didn't know where to go from here.

_'Please father,'_ Melinda thought as she sat down at a lake close by. It wasn't an ocean but it would have to do. _'Help me do the right thing. I just don't know what to do.' _

**xXx**

Melinda was in terrible shock (And she already felt as though she was recuperating from some brief but severe illness. But than, she'd recently been bitten by Nagini, who was nearly more poisonous than Sesha).

For once in her life she couldn't breath underwater. Kicking at the ice Melinda felt the water entering her lungs at the same time the locket was choking her.

'The daughter of Poseidon, drowning. There has to be something Freud-like in this all,' Melinda thought to herself as she went slack, her vision dotting with black spots.

It was then that she noticed the shape entering the water and saw the glint of the sword as a muscular arm wrapping around her bare stomach and pulling her to the surface.

Melinda gasped for air as she was soon laying on the frosty ground on the edge of the icy pond. Water gushed from her mouth and she sighed as she was able to breath with no problems.

Touching the Locket around her neck she stared in disbelief at the fact the Horcrux was able to cut off her ability to breathe underwater.

"Are you mental? What were you thinking, and how..." Ron stopped short when Melinda turned to face him. She was in her underwear, but that wasn't why he stopped, he recalled the fact she had nearly drowned. "Can't you breathe underwater?"

"I thought I could, but when I went to grab the sword...the locket acted and then I couldn't breathe," Melinda said and then looked at the redhead. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you apparently," he said, a slight smile on his face. "I've been trying to find you guys for weeks now...but I couldn't."

"Right," Melinda said. "We'll cry on each others shoulders later, telling each other how sorry we are but right now, we have a Horcrux to destroy."

Ron nodded and lifted the sword in his hands, Melinda finally noticing it hadn't burnt him.

"Uh, Ron is that sword not burning you?"

Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Why, should it be?"

"No, of course not. It's just...I think it has a spell so only descendants of Gryffindor can hold it without burning."

Ron blinked.

"I guess that would explain why the sword never appears very often," Ron said. "Uh, I think the Weasley family is distantly related to the middle daughter of Godric Gryffindor. We don't like tooting our Pureblood history though so we don't air this knowledge. Not that it matters, quite a few family in magical Britain can say they're related to the founders."

"Really?" Melinda asked, surprised.

"Yeah, the Potters are descendants of Ravenclaw through her daughter, Helena, or something. And the Blacks can trace their family back to the youngest son of Helga Hufflepuff.

Of course the Blacks don't want that kind of dirty laundry being known so I'm not surprised they never said anything, or you never found anything on it in the family books."

Melinda gasped.

"Ron...you might just be a genius!"

"What? What did I say?" he asked and she laughed, taking the Horcrux off and placing it on a rock.

"I'll tell you later," Melinda said, as she backed away from the Horcrux and pulled her sweater on while she was at it. She then pulled her jeans back on, along with her snow boots. "You ready for this Ron?"

"Wha-why do I have to do it?" Ron asked, shocked.

"You have the sword," she said, shaking her head. "Think of it as owing me one. You know for deserting Hermione and I. Now, ready?"

Ron sucked in a breath and nodded.

Looking at the sword Melinda began to hiss, and then as if the sound had been sucked out it returned. The black winds escaped from the locket and for a moment a handsome dark eye was seen and then the whispers came.

"Ron, don't listen to it!" Melinda yelled over the roaring winds of the Horcrux. "Destroy the LOCKET!"

"I have seen into your heart, and it is mine."

"I have seen your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible..."

Melinda gasped as she tried to stand and help Ron but she couldn't seem to move.

"Ron!" she cried, trying to snap him out of it.

"Least loved, always, by the mother who craved a daughter . . . Least loved, now, by the girl who prefers your friend . . . Second best, always, eternally overshadowed . . ."

_'This is bull!'_ Melinda thought to herself, glaring at the Locket as three heads bloomed from it.

She gasped as she recognized Neville, Hermione and herself. They all stood together, though Hermione and Neville were the closest together and all three appeared to be in their birthday suits. They were beautiful, but terrible to look at. Riddle-versions of themselves.

Riddle-Melinda was now speaking with Voldemort's voice fused alongside her own and Ron was gazing, mesmerized, into its face.

"Why return at all? What was the point? We were better off without you, happier without you, glad of your absence... We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice, your presumption-"

"Presumption!" echoed the Riddle-Hermione, who was more beautiful and yet more terrible than the real Hermione. Much like Riddle-Melinda who had long flowing hair which was black apposed to the lighter dark brown of Melinda's.

Ron stared terrified as Riddle-Hermione continued.

"Who could look at you, who would ever look at you, beside Melinda Potter or Neville Longbottom? What have you ever done, compared with the Chosen One? Compared to the Pureblood without a stain on his family? What are you, compared with the Girl Who Lived and the lone heir to a prestigious family?"

"Ron, snap out of it and stab it!" Melinda yelled, but Ron did not move.

His eyes were wide, and the Riddle-Melinda and the Riddle-Hermione were reflected in them, their hair swirling like flames, their eyes shining red. It was disturbing for Melinda to see as well.

"Why would anyone look at you? Red hair, big nose, not enough money to feed a pygmy puff," Riddle-Neville spoke for the first time. "The best friend who loves your brother, the other who prefers the Pureblood heir. What are you...but nothing."

"Your mother confessed," Riddle-Melinda said, sneering, while Riddle-Hermione and Riddle-Neville cackled, "that she would have preferred me as a daughter, would be glad to exchange given the chance..."

"Who wouldn't prefer them, what woman would take you, you are nothing, nothing, nothing to them," crooned Riddle-Hermione.

She stretched like a cat and entwined herself around Riddle-Melinda and pressed a soft kiss to the Riddle versions lips before moving back a few seconds later, and wrapping Riddle-Neville in a close embrace:

Their lips met and the kiss turned into a ravaging make-out session with Riddle-Melinda cackling at their side.

On the ground in front of them, Ron's face filled with anguish. Melinda's in horror and disgust, while Ron raised his sword high, his arms shaking.

"Do it, Ron! Don't listen to them, can you honestly think any of it is true!" Melinda yelled.

Ron looked toward her and Melinda cursed when she thought she saw a trace of scarlet in his eyes.

"Ron -?"

The sword flashed, plunged: Melinda felt something sharp through her chest, though she knew it wasn't anything real as there was a clang of metal and a long, drawn-out scream. She recognized it as a more inhuman version of the diary.

Melinda sat up on the snowy, frosty ground and gasped, her hand flying to her chest. There was no damage at all, whatever that pain had been it hadn't been from her. She must have been feeling the Horcruxes death, or perhaps what Voldemort was feeling.

Having ones soul destroyed like this couldn't have been a good feeling.

Melinda picked herself up off the ground and moved around, gathering the destroyed locket and ignoring the fact Ron had been crying. After a few seconds she walked over, knelt and placed a comforting hand on the boys shoulder.

"You know none of that was true right?" she asked.

Ron looked at her as if to ask if she was being real or not and she rolled her eyes and slapped him upside the head.

"Really Ronald, have you ever seen me kiss any girls?" she asked. "Hermione is like my sister, and Hermione doesn't like Neville. They think of one another as siblings as well, actually Neville is dating Susan Bones...we thought you knew that."

Ron blinked and then shook his head, laughing bitterly.

"I'm a fool huh?"

"Nah, mate," Melinda said, standing and holding out a hand for him. "Just a bit slow, but also ridiculously brilliant. You know that thing I said early about you being a genius?"

"Yeah, though I don't see how what I said helps anything."

Melinda laughed.

"Regulus was going to a vault before he died, a vault which holds the cup of Hufflepuff," she said giving him a pointed look. He blinked but then his mouth fell open and she laughed.

"You can't mean.."

"I think the cup is in one of the family vaults. I don't know whose...but if I could get some sort of word to Narcissa, maybe she could help clear that up. Or even Andromeda," Melinda said as they began walking back to camp.

"I hope, I think I'm going prematurely gray as it is," Ron said and then they stopped short at the camp site where Hermione was waiting, her arms crossed.

As the fighting between Ron and Hermione began she noticed a large owl on a tree branch watching them. Then it hooted and flew off, but not before she saw two piercing gray eyes, strange for an owl she thought.

**xXx**

_As for the third bother..._

_Death searched for the third brother for many years, but he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. So allowing death to finally find him, and then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and as equals, they departed this life. _

Melinda stared ahead of her as the story rang about her mind. It was so surreal, could it have truly happened? Unless this death the brothers met was a Reaper then it had to be Thanatos. But to truly have happened, Hades cant have been happy with the three brothers, she thought with a frown. Thanatos either.

Xenophilius Lovegood nodded.

"And so there you have it, the Deathly Hallows.

"I still don't understand," Melinda said, shaking her head.

Mr. Lovegood stood and grabbed some paper and quill which he then began to draw a straight line.

"The Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence," Xenophilius began. Then drew a circle. "The Resurrection Stone."

He began to draw a triangle then.

"The Cloak of Invisibility. Together they make the Deathly Hallows, and together they make one Master or Mistress – " he said this looking at Melinda. "- of death."

"That symbol, it was on the Peverell grave in Godric's hollow," Hermione said.

Melinda frowned, remembering the Christmas eve when she'd finally seen her parents graves. It hadn't been nearly as she'd thought it might be.

"I imagine it was. The three brother in the story were believed to be Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell. The family lines eventually became Gaunt, and Potter. The middle brother was believed not have children, if he did it is unknown.

Melinda flinched a the reminder, she hadn't forgotten. She'd had a test when she'd become Lady Potter-Black to see any other families she might be heir too. Besides Potter, and Black the only other families that came up was Peverell.

She imagined Ravenclaw hadn't come up because the test only went back one hundred years. She'd have to have one for as long as her line existed, the more expensive test, to trace her line the whole way back.

"We should be going," Hermione said when Mr. Lovegood left to make tea. "We have to find the rest of the...items. The story is good entertainment but it can't possibly be real."

Melinda frowned.

"I wouldn't be so sure Hermione," Melinda said as they descended the stairs. "I know for a fact the Underworld exist. So if it did happen the three brothers met Thanatos, most likely."

"Thanatos, like the god of death?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you knew that," Melinda said.

Ron shrugged.

"When you best friend is the daughter of a god, you tend to want to look into these sort of thing. You know, for self-preservation."

Melinda chuckled.

"Mr. Lovegood, it was nice to see you and I'm glad you could talk to us but we should really go," Hermione said and Mr. Lovegood turned suddenly and screamed.

"No one is going anywhere, please!"

Melinda backed away with the others but narrowed her eyes.

"Mr. Lovegood...where is Luna?" she asked again.

Mr. Lovegood's eyes became sad and near hysteric.

"My Luna, my little moon. They took her, they did. Just came and snatched her up one night, looking for you they were," Mr. Lovegood said, shaking his head. "Very sorry Ms. Potter. Forgive me."

"Who took her?" Melinda asked though she already knew.

"Voldemort," Mr. Lovegood said and it was only seconds before the house was hit by what seemed to be an explosion.

They had been betrayed, and the Death Eaters had arrived.

**xXx**

A few hours ago she hadn't thought this could happen, at least not like this. A few hours ago she'd been happily telling her friends her realizations. If the story of the three brothers was true then the hallows had to be how she could defeat Voldemort.

Dumbledore had her parents cloak the night her parents died.

Ignotus Peverell was buried in Godric's Hallow close to her parents plots, close to their old ruined home.

The stone had most likely been in the ring which had been a Horcrux, and she had a strong hunch it now resided in the snitch willed to her by Dumbledore.

The problem was how to open it, when she'd realized she'd caught it in her mouth it had only showed words – I open at the close.

Now, a few hours later Melinda was held by by two of the smelliest, ugliest men she had ever had the misfortune of seeing. Ron was been restrained by another, chains around his feet. Hermione had Greyback holding onto her, something which sent shivers up and down her spine.

It was her fault, once again she'd mucked things up after a routine listening of Potterwatch – okay, so it was routine for Ron at least – she'd opened her big mouth and said Voldemort's name.

She had to remind herself to curse him for tabooing his name when they had to fight one another.

Worse of all – not to sound petty or vain – her face was swollen and misshapen from a spell Hermione had shot at her, distorting her features. She felt like a bee she was extremely allergic to had stung her.

"Don't hurt him!" Hermione gasped when one of the snatchers punch the struggling Weasley boy in the gut. "Stop!"

"Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list," Greyback said, his voice raspy and deep. "Delicious girl... what a treat . . . I do enjoy the softness of the skin. . . ."

"Go to Hades!" Hermione snarled, struggling, only to stop with a cry of pain when her head was snapped back by the force of her hair being pulled.

"A feisty one," another snatcher said, looking Hermione up and down. "A pretty one."

"Looks like this one would be too, though looks like some'tin went and messed up her face," one of snatchers holding Melinda said.

Melinda sneered.

"Your not exactly a Veela yourself," she spat and gasped as her arms were jerked back some. She swore she felt her right arm being dislocated.

"Well, don't just stand there. Search the tent!" said another voice.

Melinda was thrown face down onto the ground and she knew the moment she tried to use her right arm to sit up it had indeed been dislocated. A thud told her that Ron had been cast down beside her, but she was soon yanked up by her braid.

She mentally rolled her eyes, wondering what it was about bad guys wanting to grab her by her hair. It had been why she cut it after fourth year but she liked it longer, so she'd grown it back out.

Over her thoughts she could hear footsteps; the men were pushing over chairs inside the tent as they searched. Not caring for anything but searching.

"Now, let's see who we've got here," said Greyback's voice said close to her ear and she shivered at the proximity. A beam of wand light fell onto his face and Greyback laughed.

"I'll be needing butterbeer to wash this one down. Ye were right about her being a stunner," he said with sarcasm or what she took to be sarcasm. "What happened to you, ugly?"

Melinda did not answer immediately, and regretted it soon after.

"I said," repeated Greyback gruffly, his grip on her braid tightening, and Melinda received a blow to the diaphragm that made her double over in pain – or double over as much as Greyback allowed her to with his grip on her hair. "what happened to you?"

"Stung." Melinda muttered. "Been Stung by something."

"Yeah, looks like it. Though with a body like that I bet she'd a real looker by the norm," said a second voice.

Melinda sent a mental thanks to Hermione for making her repulsive at that moment. She'd hate to know what they thought of her face if they thought Hermione was pretty. Not that she thought herself beautiful by any means but she'd been told she was very attractive.

"What's your name?" snarled Greyback.

"Dudley." said Melinda, using the first name she could think of. It just so happened to be that of her dead cousin, she had to kick herself for that.

"And your first name?"

Melinda blinked in surprise but didn't kick Lady Luck in the mouth for the strange turn of events.

"Lillian, Lily Dudley."

"Check the list, Scabior." said Greyback, and Melinda was pushed back to the ground, this time she twisted so to land on her butt.

"And what about you, ginger?"

"Stan Shunpike." said Ron.

"Like 'ell you are." said the man called Scabior. "We know Stan Shunpike, you ain't him."

There was another thud and Melinda grimaced, understanding the pain considering how sore her ribs were at this moment. Than there was her arm, she'd have to pop it back into place when she got the chance – if she got the chance.

"I'b Bardy," said Ron, and Melinda could tell that his mouth was full of blood. "Bardy Weasley."

"A Weasley?" rasped Greyback. "So you're related to blood traitors even if you're not a Mudblood. And lastly, your other pretty little friend . . ." The relish in his voice made Melinda's flesh crawl.

"Easy, Greyback." said Scabior over the jeering of the others.

"Oh, I'm not going to bite just yet. We'll see if she's a bit quicker at remembering her name than Barny. Who are you, girly?"

"Penelope Clearwater." said Hermione. She sounded terrified, but convincing.

"What's your blood status?"

"Half-Blood." said Hermione.

"Easy enough to check," said Scabior. "But the 'ole lot of 'em look like they could still be 'ogwarts age -"

"We'b lebt," said Ron.

"Left, 'ave you, ginger?" said Scabior. "And you decided to go camping? And you thought, just for a laugh, you'd use the Dark Lords name?"

"Nod a laugh," said Ron. "Aggiden."

"Accident?" There was loud laughter at the mere thought of it.

"You know who used to like using the Dark Lord's name, Weasley?" growled Greyback, "The Order of the Phoenix. Mean anything to you?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow, or at least she tried. She wasn't sure what it looked like.

"Order of the flaming turkey? Sorry, can't say we have," she said.

"Got ourselves a funny on here," Greyback said, sneering at her. "Once that sting goes down a bit we'll see just how funny you are, darling."

Melinda almost puked, but she didn't have time to do anything.

"There be no Lily Dudley in 'ere Greyback," another snatcher said, looking up from a little book which she assumed carried names of Purebloods and Half-Bloods.

"Interesting," said Greyback. "That's interesting."

He crouched down beside Melinda, and she saw him through swollen eyelids. Greyback smelled as he had done at the top of the tower where Dumbledore had died: of dirt, sweat, and blood. Disgusting in other words.

"So you aren't wanted, then, Lily? Or are you on that list under a different name? What house were you in at Hogwarts?"

"Slytherin," said Melinda automatically, smirking in a victory like way at the werewolf.

"Funny 'ow they all thinks we wants to 'ear that." leered Scabior out of the shadows. "But none of 'em can tell us where the common room is. Can you little ugly one?"

"It's in the dungeons." said Melinda clearly, glaring as best she could with her face so swollen. "You enter through the wall. It's full of skulls and stuff and it's under the lake, so the light's all green. It's rather lovely at sunset."

There was a short pause.

"Well, looks like we really 'ave caught ourselves a little Slytherin." said Scabior. "Good for you, Lily, 'cause there ain't a lot of Mudblood Slytherins. Who's your father?"

"He works at the Ministry," Melinda lied. She knew this was slowly becoming a lie that could balance on a feather but would collapse at the slightest of touch. "Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."

"You know what, Greyback," said Scabior, blinking in what they took for surprise. "I think there is a Dudley in there."

Melinda could barely believe it: Could luck, sheer luck really get this out of this alive?

"Well, then," said Greyback, and Melinda couldn't help but pray he believed it and let them go. "If you're telling the truth, little ugly duckling,"

Melinda flinched at the new nickname and wondered if Greyback had some tied to Muggles or he'd just fed on them so long he'd picked up some of their children stories. She'd read that children were his favorite prey, it made her sick.

"You've got nothing to fear from a trip to the Ministry, I believe. I expect your father'll reward us just for picking you up. Can't imagine he wants his little girl out and about on her lonesome. No telling what sort you'd pick up duckling."

"Why not just let us go?"

Greyback chortled.

"Let you go? You may be in the clear little duckling, and your pretty friend as well, but Barny there...well he's a blood traitor. We can't let that go unpunished, can we?" he asked, almost mockingly.

"Hey! Lookie what we found 'ere, Greyback!"

A dark figure came over and Melinda saw a glint of silver to the light of their wands. They had found Gryffindor's sword, and with it the only weapon they had to destroy the Horcruxes.

Eyes wide Melinda began to twitch her fingers, hoping to loosen the ropes around her torso that Greyback had spelled onto her before dumping her the second time. If she could get the ropes off she could pull her bone dagger, unfortunately it was more likely then not Tachýs would not harm the wizards. Possibly Greyback, if werewolves were close enough to monsters.

"Ve-e-ery nice," said Greyback appreciatively, taking it from his companion. "Oh, very nice indeed. Looks goblin-made, that. Where did you get something like this, duckling?"

"It's my father's," Melinda lied, hoping against hope that it was too dark for Greyback to see the name etched just below the hilt. If they saw that it was all over. "We borrowed it to cut firewood -"

"'Ang on a minute, Greyback! Look at this, in the Prophet!"

Melinda's scar, which was stretched tight across her distended forehead, burned savagely. More clearly then it had for weeks. She gritted her teeth and hung her head, the ability to concentrate on unnoticed her ropes breaking.

Voldemort wasn't exactly happy, but she had to block him out. She couldn't allow this right now. Coming back to herself she glared at the snatchers and Greyback who were gathered, talking.

"'Hermione Granger," Scabior was saying, "the Mudblood who is known to be traveling with Melinda Potter."

Melinda's scar burned again but she forced it away and was finally able to get her ropes unknotted enough to free her left arm and grabbed her dagger out of her boot. She was thankful their attentions were all divided from her.

She heard the creak of Greyback's boots as he crouched down, in front of Hermione.

"You know what, little girly? This picture looks a hell of a lot like you."

"It isn't! It isn't me!"

Hermione's terrified squeak was as good as a confession, even Melinda knew it. She growled as she cut away the last of the ropes and stood, wishing she had time to pop her right arm back in place.

Instead, she moved with speed, agility and grace of years of training and drove her dagger into a snatchers back.

"Ahhg!" he yelped as he fell to his knees, but it was muffled thanks to her discrete use of wandless magic to muffle it.

She was thankfully it was dark, this made it harder for them to notice her. Before moving on she made a point of stabbing her dagger back into him, but this time in his chest, close to the heart.

"... known to be traveling with Melinda Potter," repeated Greyback quietly. "Soren, check on the other girl. I think little duckling is hiding something from us."

There was a silence that followed and Melinda darted to the next Snatcher, who held guard on Ron and pull his hair back, which wasn't easy since he was so much taller then her, and in one move slit his throat from ear to ear.

It didn't even occur to her to feel guilty or remorse for the fact she'd just killed two men.

"What the hell are you waiting for Soren!" Greyback yelled, and stood. "Soren, Madley..."

Greyback and Scabior, the last two alive of four, turned only to see their comrades on the ground, dead.

"What the..."

Scabior was taken by surprise when a slim body attack him, slashing open his wand arm with a blood stained bone dagger. Greyback growled, looking much like the wolf he was.

Melinda gasped when the man struck quick by grabbing her right arm and bringing it down on his knee, breaking it in one quick move.

Melinda screamed and dropped her dagger, which she knew would return to her in about thirty minutes thanks to some enchantments she'd placed on it. Unfortunately it wasn't as sophisticated as Tachýs so it took a lot longer.

"Should have searched her for weapons," Greyback growled and brought his face close to her. "Think she can get away with murdering two Purebloods. Two of her own kind, just you wait duckling. Just wait."

"That bitch!" Scabior cried, holding his bleeding forearm. "She cut me, she cut me!"

"Don't be a little bitch, Scabior," Greyback snapped, and turned back to her.

Melinda felt the almost claw-like fingers on her forehead and shivered as she sat on her knees, holding her broken arm.

"Now this changes things, don't it?" he asked, tracing her scar as best he could with its disfigurement. "I believe this be a scar, don't you Lily? Clever, wasn't that your Mudblood mother's name...Melinda?"

Melinda reared forward, spitting and hissing at the werewolf, but she found herself once again bound in ropes. She heard the crack of flesh against flesh before she felt her head flying to the side from the strong backhand.

"What's that on your forehead, Melinda?" he asked softly, his breath foul in Melinda's nostrils as he pressed a filthy finger to the taught scar.

"Don't touch me," Melinda snapped as she turned her head back to the two surviving men.

"It Is!" rasped Greyback. "We've caught Potter!"

Melinda was aware of them leaving the forest, but only just. Mostly she was thinking of how she had to get them out of. They wouldn't kill her before Voldemort saw her but her friends.

She sighed, looking at Ron and Hermione. Hermione would without a doubt be killed and Ron too.

Once they were at a large manor she could tell where they were. Malfoy Manor, if the large 'M' on the wrote iron gate didn't give it away the pure wife peacocks did. She didn't know peacocks could be white.

Once at the front door Scabior knocked and they were greeted by a piece on the door moving aside so there was enough room to look out at them. She could tell it was a female, and she saw familiar dark eyes.

There was a bit of delight in the single eye and the door was opened. In front of her she thought she was seeing Bellatrix but closer inspection showed a much younger woman, maybe twenty-four years old.

With long dark hair which was much neater and glossier, but she had the thin, Black family, looks of Bellatrix. Not to mention the light in her eyes was nearly as insane, but at the same time much more aware.

An aware insanity, the worse kind she thought as the woman ushered them inside.

"Get me, Draco," the woman said, and Scabior scurried off.

The dark woman turned back to them and then walked over to Melinda, gripping her chin tightly in her hand. She turned Melinda's face side from side and then moved her bangs back to see the scar which had slowly begun going back to normal with her face. But very slowly, it was still unrecognizable.

"Do you know who I am...Potter?" the woman asked, her voice high pitched and child-like yet also cold and hard like a woman her age should sound. "Well?"

"No," she spat. "Can't say I do."

"Hmm..funny because I know...everything about you," she said in a soft, cold voice. Her face moved to Melinda's ear and she breathed into it before speaking. "Little murderess...you killed my mother."

Melinda's eyes widened, and she froze. Turning back to the woman who pulled away with a grim smile and promise of retribution in her hard dark blue eyes.

"Bellatrix."

The woman laughed, so much like Bellatrix had she knew this had to be a close relation. Her daughter, she thought with a dry mouth.

"Yep, who wins a cookie!" the woman growled at the end, the smile slipping and she slapped Melinda across the face. "My mother...Bellatrix LeStrange. I'm Cassie, Cassiopeia...now we have something in common. Dead mothers. How does it feel murderess, to know you took away my mother?"

Melinda felt guilt come then, and she had to remember that this woman had to be as bad as Bellatrix but then had she been the one to drive her to this? Was this her fault or had she grown up to be this on her own?

"She had it coming," Melinda spat and once again she was on the receiving end of a backhand, this time from Cassie.

"Ah...Draco arrives," Cassie said, smiling and turning to face the very pale, shaky blonde Malfoy. "Cousin, is this her? Is this the girl who murdered my mother? Please tell me it's her."

Melinda stared at Draco, and she knew he knew it was her. She couldn't hold it against him if he told, from the looks of things Narcissa was barely holding things together herself and Draco looked like a walking zombie.

"I...I can't be sure. What happened to her face?"

Cassie pouted then and looked at Melinda.

"What did happen to her face?" she asked. "Hmm?"

"Don't know, must have been some spell," Greyback said, looking at Hermione like she was a piece of meat.

Cassie walked around them then and as she walked over to inspect Hermione her dark eyes caught sight of the sword Scabior held.

"What's that?" she gasped, her eyes wide. "WHAT IS THAT!"

"This...oh it was in their tent. I reckon it's mine now."

Cassie snarled and drew a black whip with small thorn like spikes on the length of it from her robes. She flicked it with practiced ease and it wrapped around Scabior's neck, and she yanked. He was on the floor sooner after and had a dagger sticking out of his right shoulder.

"Ow...bloody hell you stupid squib!" Scabior cried. "Are you mad? We're on the same side!"

Melinda's head snapped up some at that. Squib, Scabior had called Cassiopeia a squib. It would explain why no one knew about her, why she wasn't on the family tapestry. Walburga must not have bothered to record a squib born into the family.

Bellatrix must have still cared for her only child, Melinda thought with guilt, if she still kept her alive and with her.

"Where did you get that sword?" Cassie asked, walking over to Hermione with another dagger in hand. "TELL ME!"

"I...we found it," Hermione gasped out.

"Liar! You've been in my vault, haven't you!?" Cassie screamed. "My mother's vault, you filthy MUDBLOOD HAVE BEEN DEFILING MY MOTHERS VAULT. MY VAULT!"

"No!" Hermione cried. "No, we haven't."

"Don't lie to me," Cassie snarled, cutting a thin line of Hermione's face with her dagger.

"Leave her alone!" Ron yelled, struggling against his restraints.

"Don't worry, I don't plan to hurt her much...as long as she tells me the truth. Uncle Lucius," she snapped. "Put our guest in the dungeons. Except for the Mudblood...I think we need to have some girl time. Don't you?"

With that Melinda had no choice but to be dragged off to the Malfoy Dungeons as Cassiopeia was left to torture Hermione.

**xXx**

"Lightning has struck. I repeat, Lightning has struck," a Gryffindor Melinda couldn't quite recall the name of said as the others cheered at the trios return.

Melinda smiled slightly though she looked like hell. Her clothes were ripped I places, and dirty. Her hair was in a hasty made braid, and she had cuts and bruises over her face and body. Her arm had been broken not two days before but thanks to the pearl she'd been able to heal herself.

She'd put a drop in a cup of water and halfed it between Ron, Luna, Olivander and Hermione to help them heal faster once they'd reached Shell Cottage. She hadn't wanted to chance the pearls water doing more damage to her friends, remembering her father's warnings so long ago.

Then they'd broken into Gringotts to get the cup from Bellatrix, now Cassiopeia's, vault. It hadn't been easy, only with help from Polyjuice had it worked. And her ability to cast the unforgivables.

It had been the first time she'd truly cast imperious curse with intent to use on a human, goblin or not. It hadn't worked as powerful as she wanted but for a time it had.

Now they were here, knowing the last Horcrux was hidden somewhere in the school.

"Lin," a familiar voice said from a entrance and Melinda looked up in time to feel warm arms come around her and red hair.

She smiled, smelling the scent she knew so well, the scent that belonged to Fred. Sour apples, cinnamon, and grass for some strange reason.

"Fred," she said and looked up only to have her lips captured in a passionate kiss.

The kiss released all pent up emotions, all the loneliness and sadness being apart had caused. She was barely aware of the cheering coming from the room at their display when they pulled apart.

"You look like crap, Lin-Lin," Fred finally said, taking a good look at his girlfriend.

She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Lovely," she muttered. "You're lucky we're in the middle of a war Fred."

**xXx**

"You have allowed you friends to fight for you..."

Those words kept floating back to Melinda as she moved across the stone floor of the great hall. Looking around at the dead and dying. Many were weeping by their dead friends or family. She gulped, feeling as if this was all her fault.

But would he truly leave them alone if she turned herself over?

"No," she heard a voice say and she looked over to see the Weasley's gathered around a body, or was there more then one.

"What's wrong.." Melinda's voice cut off then as the Weasley Clan and Professor McGonagall backed away.

"Mel," Hermione said as she moved quickly to her side as if to block her view and Melinda stared at her.

"What is it?" she asked and pushed past her bushy haired friend.

Melinda froze in her tracks as she came to stand close enough to see three bodies. The first she noticed was Tonks, her skin ashy white in death, her hand clutching onto Remus who lay next to her. Moving on to the next body she saw a sight that finished shattering her heart.

Fred.

Melinda's knees gave out and she stared ahead of her, at Fred whose blue eyes were frozen in death and a half sob, half scream escaped from her. Attention was drawn to her as she broke down, rocking back and forward on her knees and sobbed, tears falling like water on a waterfall.

"No, it can't be," Melinda whispered as she reached up to clutch her hair.

"Melinda," George said, kneeling beside her and she shook him and away and practically crawled the rest of the way to Fred.

She was heartbroken about Tonks and Remus but right now she could only hover over one body.

"Fred," she whispered, her voice cracking as she pulled his limp head up into her lap. "wake up baby, please wake up."

"Oh Mellie," Molly said, her hands covering her mouth as she cried, leaning into Arthur who wasn't much better off. "I'm sorry honey."

Melinda screamed as she rocked, placing her chin on Fred's cold forehead and burying her nose a moment later in his red hair. It still smelled of sour apples, she thought with a sob.

"Mel, come on. You have to get a hold of yourself," Ron said, trying to pull her away from Fred.

She shook her head but allowed herself to be gently removed by Percy and Fred. She didn't stay standing long, she couldn't keep the feeling in her legs and she fell back to the ground next to Percy and Ron's feet. Crying, her shoulders shaking.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What for Mel, this wasn't your fault," Percy told the daughter of Poseidon. "War is built on casualty. It's a price we pay for fighting."

Spoken like a true son of a war god, Melinda thought and then she clinched her fist.

"Who?" she asked, her voice suddenly cold. "Who killed them?"

"Dolohov got Tonks and Remus," Arthur spoke up, knowing in the state of mind she was currently in it was best to tell her. "Alecto Carrow...Alecto Carrow got Fred."

Melinda sobbed once more, banging her fist on the stone ground but after a moment she sat to attention as the castle shook like a earthquake had hit them. She whipped away her tears as she realize she'd lost control of herself for a moment.

"What was..." Ron began, looking around.

"Poseidon...he's not just the god of the sea Ron," she told him. "He's the Earthshaker as well. I'm sorry...I've got to go."

With that Melinda stood and departed. She wasn't sure if she'd live to see the next day or not. If she was lucky she might, it was nearly dawn now.

Then something came to her mind.

It was always darkest before the dawn.

**xXx**

The Snitch. It was so small, yet so fast.

Her steady fingers fumbled with it for just a split second, pulling it from the pouch she had it in.

I open at the close.

Such a simple sentence, until now she didn't understand it.

_'Raised her like a lamb to the slaughter'_ the memory Snape had accused Dumbledore.

She chuckled humorlessly, yes indeed the old man had, but his intentions had been good. At least they had been good for the whole of the world.

Neither can live while the other survives.

She'd never thought it was so literal. Obviously neither could live after all, if she lived he'd live and if she died...he die. Sort of a win, win in the end.

She knew though, as she stared down at it with pale sea colored eyes. This was the close. This was the moment she'd been waiting for.

With a deep breath, for courage she supposed, she pressed the golden metal to her lips and whispered, "I am ready to die."

The metal shell broke open. She lowered his hand, raised Draco's wand from beneath the Cloak, and murmured, "Lumos."

The black stone with is jagged crack running down the center sat in the two halves of the Snitch. The Resurrection Stone had cracked down the vertical line representing the Elder Wand. The triangle and circle representing the Cloak and the stone were still discernible.

Melinda smiled, her eyes lighting up slightly but she understood without having to think. It did not matter about bringing them back, raising the dead meant little to her, for she was about to join them. Soon she would be able to see everyone lost to her.

The only regret she had was leaving Teddy without a godmother.

She closed her eyes, and rubbed the stone calmly, just thinking about nothing in-particular but subconsciously she was summoning them to her. She simply knew when it happened, and she opened her eyes to find them waiting for her. Circled around her.

They were neither ghost nor truly flesh, she could see that. They reminded her of the Riddle from the diary, less then living bodies, but more then a ghost. Looking around her, she could see on each face, there was the same loving smile.

James was exactly like the pictures, but taller then she'd expected. Around 5'11, give or take.

He was wearing the clothes in which he had died in, and his hair was untidy and ruffled, and his glasses were a little lopsided.

She imagined if she'd been born a boy, and the blood child of James Potter this was what she'd look like, except for her mothers eyes. Somehow she knew she'd keep those even if things had been different.

Sirius...she nearly choked on her tongue at seeing him once more.

He was tall and handsome, and younger by far than what she had seen of him in life. Though he'd gotten pretty far in the three years of freedom he'd had.

He had an easy grace about him, smiling the doggish grin she knew him for, and his hands in his pockets as if he had no cares in the world.

She supposed he really didn't.

Lupin was younger too, and much less shabby, and his hair was thicker and darker. He looked happy to be back in this familiar place, scene of so many adolescent wanderings. Beside him Tonks stood, her eyes bright gray, and her hair longish and black. Her true base form, it seemed in death she'd decided to go natural.

Lily's smile was the brightest of them all, her eyes shinning, death not having been able to dull the bright emerald. She pushed her long red hair back as she drew closer to her, and her green eyes, so like hers, yet unlike hers, searched Melinda's face hungrily, as though she would never be able to look at her long enough.

"You've been so brave Melinda, so brave."

She couldn't find her voice, she just stared at her mother with joyful tears.

"You are nearly there, Ladybug," said James. "Very close. We are . . . so proud of you."

"Does it hurt?"

The childish question had fallen before she could stop it.

"Dying? Not at all," said Sirius.

Than another voice, so familiar she spun around in disbelief.

"Quicker and easier than falling asleep," Fred said, smiling widely at his girlfriend. "Hello love."

"Fred," Melinda whispered, tears threatening to fall.

"And she will want it to be quick. She wants, needs it to be over," Remus said, smiling.

"I didn't want you to die, I never wanted anyone to die for me," Melinda said, a few tears falling without her permission. "I'm sorry -"

He addressed Remus, Tonks, and Fred more than any of them.

"- right after you'd had your son . . . Remus, Tonks, I'm sorry -"

"I am sorry too," said Remus. "Sorry I will never know him . . . but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."

"We both were," Tonks said, speaking for the first time. "You'll take care of him, my mother as well. He'll be loved, and he'll know he is loved. So much, but I can't be there as his mother. But I'm sure someone...can."

She was looking at Melinda with a knowing smile, but Melinda couldn't figure out why. She was about to die, as much as she wished she could raise Teddy for them, giving him a childhood she'd never had she couldn't.

Even if she lived, how could she? She was a Half-Blood, a ticking time bomb. Sooner or later she'd die, come across a monster she couldn't beat.

She was only human. She wasn't invincible.

"Fred...forgive me. I -"

Fred shook his head.

"It's not your fault Lin-Lin. I love you, but it was my time to go. Maybe in another life we'll get another chance, but I want you to promise me to move on...if you survive. Please, don't give up on love because of me."

Melinda couldn't believe Fred thought there was even a chance she'd live but she nodded anyways.

"I promise," she muttered, and then looked at them. "You'll stay with me?"

"Until the very end," said James.

"They won't be able to see you?" Melinda asked, curious.

"We are part of you," said Sirius. "Invisible to anyone else, unless you want us to be seen."

Melinda looked at her family, and took a deep breath.

"Stay close to me, please," she said quietly. "I don't want to die alone."

It didn't take her long to reach the area Voldemort was, and to listen to the conversation.

"No sign of her, my Lord," said Dolohov.

Voldemort's expression did not change. The red eyes seemed to burn in the firelight. Slowly he drew the Elder Wand between his long fingers.

"My Lord -"

Cassiopeia had spoken: She sat closest to Voldemort, disheveled, her face a little bloody but otherwise unharmed. For a squib she fought like a bloody fury, sent by Hades himself.

Voldemort raised his hand to silence her, and she did not speak another word, but eyed him in a school girl crush sort of way.

"I thought she would come," said Voldemort in his high, clear voice, his eyes on the leaping flames. "I expected her to come."

Nobody dared to speak.

"I was, it seems . . . mistaken," said Voldemort.

"You weren't."

Melinda said it as loudly as she could, and the Resurrection Stone was slipped into her pocket, as deep as it could go. Her wand clattered to the forest floor, along with her cloak and she stepped forward for everyone to see.

"MELINDA! NO!"

Melinda turned to find Hagrid was bound and roughed up, tied to a tree nearby. His massive body shook the branches overhead as he struggled, desperate.

"NO! NO! MELINDA, WHAT'RE YEH DOIN' -?"

"QUIET!" Cassiopeia shouted.

Another Death Eater flicked his wand, and Hagrid was silenced.

The Death Eaters were of little meaning to her. Voldemort and Melinda looked at each other, red meeting green and Voldemort tilted his head a little to the side, considering the girl standing before him. A smile curled onto his lipless face.

"Ah...Melinda Potter..." he trailed off softly. "The Girl Who Lived. How Poetic, I'll ask you again but I'm sure I know the answer. Join me Melinda, and together the world will bow before us."

None of the Death Eaters moved.

"Never," she spat, her head held high and she thought of those she'd see again as Voldemort raised his wand, his eyes narrowed.

Fred, she thought with a sigh. She'd see him again, her parents. She did feel regret, regret of not seeing Teddy grow up. Of not being able to be at her friends weddings, of not being able to see their kids.

To have her own family, to finally get to go to Camp Half-Blood after so many years of waiting. To not be able to help her half-brother. To not have met Perseus at least once in person before died.

As it was, it looked like he'd never know he had a older sister.

She closed her eyes as Voldemort's wand glowed green and laughed a mirthless laugh as the green light flashed and it was almost like a sonic boom as everything faded. Nothing was there, only nothing.

_And so the third Potter met Death as if they were old friends, and left the plan as equals. _

**xXx**

"You're saying I can go back?" Melinda asked, staring at Lily and James Potter who were in front of her.

She'd arrived on a white platform, strikingly like Kings cross station. The worse part had been being naked, but she'd quickly found a way to fix that. If she wished it hard enough it happened, hence why she now wore the clothes she died in.

The fact her parents had turned up had surprised her. They had said she could bring anyone she wanted here to talk but they had been the ones her mind had most called too, and Fred was too new to death to be called anymore then she already had.

"Hmm, you're the Mistress of Death now Ladybug," James said, smirking. "You can bring Elvis here you wanted too."

"Actually..." another voice, much older and wiser. "I wouldn't recommend that, sometimes I don't know if it's truly Elvis or not. Personally I think it's a rather good impersonation. Sometimes those who die believing they are someone continue to in death."

Melinda looked behind her parents to find a aged wizard she recognized easily.

Albus Dumbledore.

"Old man," Melinda said, not being able to fight off the small smile "You look well for a dead man."

"Melinda," Lily scolded, shaking her head.

"No," Albus chuckled. "Lily, it's quite alright. She has every reason she act this way. I went about things not quite how I should have. My first and gravest mistake was placing you with your muggle relatives. The other was not trusting you enough to do what was right when the time came."

Melinda nodded.

"Damn straight," she said, and James chortled while Lily sighed, shaking her head.

"Now, I do believe you have a choice to make," Albus said, lacing his fingers together in front of him.

"What? What choice?" she asked.

"Well, you're not exactly dead as your parents have explained. Voldemort took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Melinda, Lily's protection inside both of you! While the blood was not able to leach your demigod abilities to him, it did do enough to allow you to live through this. In taking your blood, he tethered you to live while he still lives!"

"But...that makes no sense. Neither can live while the other survives. I thought I had to die for him to die, and vice versa," Melinda argued.

"Not quite, after all someone has to finished him off."

"But he's mortal now, anyone -" Melinda was cut off by James.

"Not just anyone Mellie," he said, a sad look about him. "You. _but divine will have power the Dark Lord knows not.._.it's about you Ladybug. It always has been, your and him."

Melinda sighed, and nodded.

"How do I go back?" she asked.

Dumbledore and her parents smiled.

"I don't know, but you're the Mistress of Death...I suppose all you have to do is wan-"

she didn't hear the rest, the platform faded and she could see grass. She was on her side, laying on her arm at a awkward angle which hurt. She wanted to move but she didn't, her eyes opened only a crack, she could barely see. But she could hear as clear as day.

"Is she dead?" Cassiopeia asked, lingering close to Voldemort.

"Narcissa," Voldemort called. "Tell me...is she dead?"

Melinda heard footfalls and made sure she had her eyes shut as when she'd been killed by the killing curse. She felt Narcissa check for a pulse and gasp softly, and knew the woman knew she was alive.

She wasn't sure what the older woman would do. She was no longer married to Lucius Malfoy, a fact she seemed to have been able to hid from Lucius seeing as he hadn't been acting strange around her at the manor.

"Well Narcissa?" Voldemort asked, impatient. "Is she dead? Do not lie to me Narcissa, you and young Draco tread on thin ice."

"Is he alive...is Draco alive?" Narcissa whispered.

"Yes," she whispered, so low and soft she barely heard it but she knew Narcissa had seeing as she stood quickly and turned to Voldemort.

"She is dead."

The next thing Melinda heard was Hagrid's cries of rage and grief and the Death Eaters cheers.

**xXx**

She was running now, and she knew he was right behind her.

It was about to end, the war was coming to a close and she could feel it in the air. The sun had risen as he had announced her 'death' to Hogwarts and those who had survived to the next day of the Battle of Hogwarts.

There had been screams and cries but in the end as Neville distracted Voldemort she was able to grab her cloak and surprise attack before making a run for it.

Now she found herself on one of the towers, of course one wall was knocked out and she could see the front of the school where they'd just left from here. They had to be three hundred or so feet up.

She gasped a curse knocked her off a platform area and onto another part of the floor, before her arm and legs were grabbed by what she assumed to be pieces of fabric. Seeming to come from his own green robes.

There was something seriously wrong about this, she thought as she was brought to knee in front of him, still restrained.

"Why. Won't. You. Die?" he asked, each word accompanied by a curse or hit.

Melinda chuckled darkly.

"You were right. When you told Professor Snape that wand was failing you. It will always fail you, because it knows who it's master is."

"Me! I am the rightful wielder of the Elder Wand, I killed Snape!"

Melinda chortled and the ribbons fell away and she scampered backwards closer to the edge.

"I pity you Voldemort, because you have nothing. You killed the wrong man, Snape didn't own the wands loyalty."

She was grabbed up by Voldemort who gripped her face tight in his right had, his wand raised in the other.

"Why do you live Melinda Potter?"

"Because I have something worth living for," she said and threw her arms around his neck. "Let's finish Tom, the way we started it. Together!"

Voldemort's red slit pupil eyes widened as she threw them over the side. It was a blur of operation it seemed as the two fought in the air and then they struck the ground in front of the largely ruined castle.

They were feet away from each other and in the middle was their wands. Looking at each other they stared together for a second before they began to crawl towards the wand in unison.

At the same time the two found their wands and stood, both slightly shaking as they both threw their wands froward in unison and lights sprung forward.

Green and red, Avada Kadavra and Expelliarmus. She had no idea if Nagini had been killed yet, but the question was answered when the sound of inhuman screams reached them.

Dropping the spells both turned to see Neville having killed Nagini with the sword of Gryffindors.

Voldemort and Melinda turned back to each other and after a moment of shock both fired the same spells as before at each other. For a moment they were evenly matched before the red spell took over and the Elder Wand shot out of his hands and to her.

She glared at Voldemort as she caught the Elder Wand.

"I disarmed Draco that night in Malfoy manor, I am the true owner of the Elder Wand," Melinda said, leveling the wand at him with her left hand. "I am the Mistress of Death, and you have cheated it for far to long."

"AVADA KADAVRA!" she cast and she watched as it struck the shocked dark lord and he fell to the ground like a puppet without the strings.

With that she collapsed to her knees on the ground, breathing heavily, a single tear falling.

**xXx**

**May 2nd, 2006**

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: **

"It's over," Melinda Potter said as she stood on a chunk of ruble from the same bridge Voldemort had led his army across, forcing Hagrid to carry her limp body for all to see.

She was pretty high up, she realized, if she lost her balance from up here...she chuckled bitterly. The war had cost her so much, and she had a gut feeling it wasn't over for her yet.

Sure, she'd defeated Voldemort but something told her she had another war to fight and she wasn't sure she liked that.

Wasn't she allowed some time to rest after this? Not to mention she had Teddy to take care of now, she wasn't some veteran who could go home now and do nothing.

She had responsibilities, another war would only cause her problems. Though, she supposed Teddy would be alright with his grandmother for now.

"Why didn't it work for him, the elder wand?" Hermione asked.

Melinda snorted.

"It answered to somebody else. When he killed Snape he thought the wand would become his but..." she turned to look at them. "The wand was never his, it was Draco's. He disarmed Dumbledore that night in the astronomy tower. Voldemort killed the wrong man for power, not that it would matter."

She twirled the wand in her hand.

"It was Draco I disarmed in Malfoy Manner, now the wand answers to me."

Hermione and Ron exchanged looks and stared at their friend in shock.

"So what should we do with it?" Ron asked, sort of dazed.

Melinda chuckled as Hermione turned to the youngest male Weasley.

"We!" she demanded and Ron shrugged.

"Hermione, that's the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in the world," he said. "With that we'd be invincible."

Melinda sighed.

"Invincibility, it's so overrated," she said. "I plan to destroy it...soon. I don't know exactly how soon but something tells me I'll need it for now."

"I'm not surprised you don't want that sort of power or responsibility but...what would possibly be so dire you'd need it?" Hermione asked, concerned.

Melinda jumped off the rock that used to be part of the railing of the stone bridge and placed the wand in her right boot.

"I don't know exactly, but I've always trusted my gut before," she replied.

"Well, we'll be with you if you want us to be," Ron said coming to one side of the near-black haired girl.

Melinda's green eyes, bright yet sort of sea colored in the sunlight, smiled along with her.

"You know I'd love that guys, but this adventure I have to go alone. It's not something you two can do with me," she said and Hermione sighed.

"It has to do with your birth father, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I think it does."

"Okay," Ron said as they watched the sun rise even higher over the grounds. "Just remember, if you need us all you have to do is call."

Melinda grinned, hugging her two best friends.

"I know, and if you don't hear from me for a long time...go to Gringotts after a year and if something has happened..."

"Don't say that Mellie," Hermione interrupted. "Nothing will happen to you, but if you haven't contacted us in a years time, every year, then we'll go."

Melinda smiled. She didn't know what fate had in store for her but she knew it wouldn't be an easy ride. It might be one she didn't come back from.


	27. Lightning Strikes Part I

**AN: So, one more chapter and then I will start working on the sequel. **

**Also the poll for her animagus for is over, and the winner is the Falcon. Of course I've chosen to use the Gyrfalcon, which is simply the largest species of Falcon. Pictures of her form will be on my website linked on my profile, along with characters, like always.  
**

**Also I had some reviewers ask if Melinda would be pregnant with Fred's kid. While I did think about it, I have plans for later in the series and I couldn't see either Fred or Melinda being careless in such a time of war. Especially considering Melinda was at the top of many peoples to-kill list. It just wouldn't be safe.**

** So no, she isn't pregnant.  
**

**The next chapter, the last one, will be much shorter. Just a chapter to see her off to America and to Camp Half-Blood.  
**

**Also the lullaby in this chapter is, _All The Pretty Horses_, which I thought suited the moment and Melinda seeing as Poseidon is the father of horses. I don't own it or anything you recognize.  
**

**Anyways, enjoy the chapter.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

**Chapter 27: Lightning Strikes Part I.**

Andromeda was unsure what to think of the newly proclaimed, Woman-Who-Conquered. Not two days ago she won the war for the light side. When Melinda had first showed up she had assumed it was to take Teddy away.

She should have realized Melinda wasn't the type of person to do such a thing, just because she was godmother and had a right to Teddy as well.

Andromeda didn't mind sharing custody but she wanted some time with her grandson. He wasn't even a week old yet. She chortled mentally at this, not even a week old and yet her grandson would grow up never knowing his parents.

Her poor daughter and son-in-law.

Andromeda had lost everyone except her grandson, Melinda, Cissy and her nephew in the war. Her husband, her daughter, and son-in-law had all lost their lives because of one sociopaths war. To her surprise Melinda had told her, in blunt certainty, that she was leaving England.

"You're leaving?" she asked, clearly having a hard time processing everything.

Melinda nodded from where she sat across from her cousin by adoption, a cup of tea in hand. The Tonks home was a mix of Muggle and Magical. She could see candles lit and lots of pictures. All of which portrayed Ted Tonks, Nymphadora and Remus, put out in memoriam.

One picture she noticed right off was of Tonks and Remus holding Teddy, proudly, between them.

"I need to get out of England. There are just so many memories here, and the public. I don't think I can handle the prophet snooping around my business. I'm liable to go bonkers and take a leaf out of old Walburga's favorite booby trap curse book."

Andromeda chuckled, and winced at the same time. She knew better then most how batty her Aunt Walburga had been and some of those traps had been...overkill for lack of better term.

"What about Teddy?" she asked, pushing some of her short wild curled dark brown hair behind her ear. Her dark gray eyes shinned with the recent loss of most her immediate family.

Melinda sighed.

"I'd like to take him with me..." Melinda saw the sudden fear and fierceness enter Andromeda's eyes and she smiled. "...but I can't. At least not while I have nothing permanent set up, or a plan of action. Not to mention...there is a whole other part of my life I never shared and...I don't think it's safe. I have certain business in America, and right now I can't take any chances."

Andromeda nodded, looking up when the sounds of crying reached them. She stood up with Melinda who looked torn. Andromeda understood then how hard this was for Melinda.

Teddy was her godson, and wanted to be here for him like her own parents and godfather hadn't gotten to be. Melinda cherished family above a lot things, and leaving for thousands of miles away couldn't be easy for her.

It was clear that Melinda would be the closest thing to a mother Teddy would have growing up and this made Andromeda smile. It was the way her Dora and Remus would have wanted it.

"Why don't you go take care of him while I heat up a bottle. He might need a diaper change...so be warned," Andromeda said and Melinda smiled.

"Thanks," she muttered and walked passed 'Dromeda and to Teddy's nursery.

The room was painted a pale blue with yellow and crimson – Gryffindor and Hufflepuff colors she realized with amusement. The crib was made of dark wood and she could see the crying baby through the small gaps in the crib.

Walking over she stopped as she saw her godson for the first time, in person at least. He was small, and palish in complexion but that might have been a baby thing.

His head had some hairs, a rather thick amount for a baby only a few days old. To her surprise the hair was a deep blue, and his eyes were wide, tearful and dark amber, like Remus, she realized.

Reaching down Melinda gently picked Teddy up, and cradled him close to her chest. It was pretty easy for her to tell he did indeed need a diaper change, so she walked over to the other side of the room for the changing table.

She'd babysat once or twice for the neighbors when she'd lived with the Dursley's before her third year. The Swanson's had never truly been one of those to believe everything her relatives would say, so they felt alright leaving her in charge of their triplets – three boys who were only a few months older than Teddy currently was back then.

So thankfully she knew what she was doing.

"Oh, wow!" Melinda gasped, jerking back from the now giggling baby. "What does Dromeda feed you?"

Teddy might have had gas, but to her it looked like he was smiling up at her and she had to force tears from her eyes. He looked so much like his parents even as a baby. Once the diaper was tossed and she'd replaced with a clean one she lifted him back into her arm and brushed back some of the now bright teal blue hairs on his head.

"I'm sorry Teddy, I tried to protect everyone but I couldn't save them for you," Melinda muttered, knowing he didn't truly understand what she was telling him.

Sighing, she walked over to the rocking chair by the window, and sat down, rocking back and forward while whispering a lullaby under her breath. She could hear the footfalls of Andromeda coming and knew his bottle was ready, but she didn't stop singing softly.

"All the pretty little horses. Black and bays, dapples, grays, All the pretty little horses. Hush-a-bye, don't you cry..."

Andromeda smiled at the sight as she entered.

"You're great with him," she said, and Melinda's head looked up at her. "He likes you as well."

Melinda blinked and looked back at Teddy only to see dark, near black hair and big bright sea green colored eyes. She chuckled.

"I like him too," she said and took the bottle Andromeda was reaching her. "I want to see him, you know when I can find a quick way between here and America."

Andromeda nodded.

"Of course...he'll need you. A mother figure to look up too."

Melinda looked up at her startled.

"What..me? But you..."

Andromeda laughed.

"I'm his grandmother, Mel," she said. "I can't be both. No, I think Dora and Remus would have wanted it like this, they did name you godmother after all."

"But...I can't even be here all the time. I'd be the worst mother ever."

"I doubt that," Andromeda said, smiling. "I walked in here and all those doubts disappeared. If I didn't know better I'd think you were his mother. I was worried Nymphadora and Remus were making a mistake, naming you Godmother and you not even being eighteen yet."

"What changed?" Melinda asked, pulling the near empty bottle from Teddy and placing it beside her. She than positioned him so she could burp him.

"You. You're a lot wiser, and mature then I once thought, and seeing you with him. It makes it clear why my daughter and Remus chose you," Andromeda said. "If you set up fire-calling in America we can communicate that way for a while. And set up so way for you to see Teddy."

Melinda smiled and stood, placing the now yawning Teddy back in his crib.

"Thank you Dromeda," she said. "I should go now though, I have to get things settled and uh...talk some others about my plans."

Andromeda nodded.

"Of course," she said. "Good Luck, Melinda."

**xXx**

"Hey, this seat taken?" Melinda asked.

After apparating to the Burrow she had headed down to the large pond on the property. Under a tree she found George sitting, throwing rocks into the pond and staring numbly.

It was hard to look at him, even two days after the fact but it still felt like a knife every time she saw him.

At least until he turned to face her, she'd always been able to tell the twins apart, and it was clear to her this was George. Even if he hadn't lost an ear in the war she'd have known.

"Sure," he said, and scotted over some to give her more room.

Melinda sat down and for a moment they just sat there in silence, looking out over the pond and then she choked on a sob, lowering head onto her drawn up knees.

"I'm sorry George," Melinda muttered, knowing he'd hear her. "I never wanted him to die, I am sorry."

George looked at her with wide eyes.

"You think this is your fault?" he asked.

"Don't you? Maybe he wouldn't have died if I had done something. Acted faster, if I hadn't been with him."

George reached over and slapped her around the back the head, making her sit up straighter and hold the back of her head.

"What the Styx was that?" she demanded, sniffing and whipping her nose on the back of her hand. It wasn't runny or anything, just habit she'd had for years when she was close to crying. Or had been crying.

"Fred didn't die because of you Lin," he said sternly. "Fred died because we got careless. He died because Alecto Carrow was a sick bitch."

Melinda couldn't help but smirk, she'd seen to it personally that Alecto Carrow and Dolohov got what had been coming to them. She may have been the reason they died. They weren't the only Death Eaters to die. The dark had lost nearly as many of their own side during the war.

George continued.

"He died because...because it was his time I guess. He died fighting, smiling and laughing. He died to help you win this war, protecting you, he died the way he'd want to. It was quick, it hurts us to have to say goodbye but Fred wouldn't want either of us to stay depressed or mourn too long. If he was here he'd have hit you himself."

Melinda stared and let a single tear fall and she smiled. Scooting over she pulled George into a hug and felt him return it seconds later.

"I know, but you know me. I have this whole blame complex, thing," she said and then pulled back. "I know you don't want to hear it, but I'm sorry I couldn't save him. I'd do anything to trade places."

George smiled back and then slapped her around the head again.

"He wouldn't want you to say that either. But thanks, I would too," George said as Melinda pouted and rubbed the back of her head.

Melinda looked ready to say something when there was a small hooting sound and a snowy owl, nearly pure white in plumage flew towards them and landed on the lowest branch of the tree above them. Melinda gaped up at it, the large golden eyes gazed down at her and she could only think of one name – Hedwig.

Hedwig had been killed the knight the Order had come to Grimmauld Place to get her. Hit by a killing curse that had come dangerously close to Melinda, the bird had fallen to the bottom of her cage like a feather without a bird to stay attached too.

Before blasting the side care off moments later she'd cursed every deity she could think of before taking the time – no matter the danger she had been in – to grab the cage and, saving her second sort-of familiar from a fate of decaying in some forest.

She'd handed it over to Mrs. Weasley who promised to show the dead owl, Melinda's very first friend, the utmost respect.

"What..." she was at a lost for words.

George smiled, probably the first time she'd seen anyone smile since the war.

"When mom was taking care of Hedwig, she found a nest in the cage. She was sort of surprised you never noticed but Hedwig had covered it with twigs and her own fallen feathers. Mom reckons Hedwig didn't want you to know at the time," George said.

Melinda laughed mirthlessly.

"Hedwig always was a smart girl," Melinda said and she held out her arm for the small baby owlet. It was probably half the size it would later become, and obviously male from the nearly pure white feathers.

"Mom was going to wait until after the wedding to tell you about the eggs, but the raid happened and she never got the time. They're only a few months old now, but mom's taken real good care of them."

"How many?" Melinda asked as she lowered her arm, the owl resting on it like it belonged there.

"Ten. All were born healthy. Mom wanted to let you decide what one you might like to keep. After that she thought it best to sell them to the shop in Diagon Alley."

Melinda smiled.

"I'll have to thank her," she said, stroking the owlets chest.

"Looks like this one likes you, it's the only male from the whole nest. Shocking us, bit of a mischief maker that one," George laughed.

"Come on," Melinda said, standing. "I want to see the others, but I think I'll be keeping this little guy. He reminds me of Hedwig."

"What are you going to name it? Why do you want to see them if you've already decided you want this one?" George asked and Melinda laughed.

This was more like the George she knew, she was happy he was coping well without his twin but she could still tell he was in unbearable pain.

Probably worse then hers, she had loved Fred, and she always would. He was her first everything but she'd seen him since his death. He had told her to move on and she'd do her best.

It might not be in the near future but she knew from experiences while the pain of his loss would never go away, it would become bearable.

"I want to see them for seeing them sake, and I want to keep another for when Teddy is old enough for Hogwarts. I think Hedwig would have wanted me to keep one for him, had she known about him," Melinda said.

"Andromeda also doesn't have a family owl anymore sense theirs was so old it...well dropped not long before Teddy was born."

George snorted and held the door open for her.

"As for his name...I was thinking of Helios," she said, smiling at the owl who looked at her, and puffed out his chest. "Do you like that name boy?"

The newly named, Helios, hooted his approval, looking to proud to be normal for an animal. Than again, Hedwig had been the smartest owl she'd ever met. It was only fitting her children were the same.

**xXx**

The funeral was as dark and dreary as any funeral could be. On Hogwarts ground there was a ceremony where a large marble grave-like stone was erected and on it was the names of every lost soul from the light side.

"They all fought bravely," Minerva said from where she stood in front of the large memorial. "Many were taken far to soon, but all them were brave to stand and fight for the school. For the rights of the magical world as a whole, be it Pureblood, Half-Blood or Muggle-Born."

Melinda stood in her black dress and cloak, noting that everyone either had tears in their eyes or an aura of grief. Many were openly crying.

"I can't believe how many people were lost," Hermione said from beside her, whipping her eyes with her handkerchief.

"None of us can," Charlie Weasley said, from Hermione's other side.

Ron stood on Melinda's other free side. At first she thought it weird Ron and Hermione weren't standing together but didn't think much on it. They hadn't confirmed or denied being together, together. Though personally she didn't see anything going far between the two.

Charlie seemed just as sad as all the Weasley's, they were burying one of their own after all. Just thinking of it made her eyes tear up but she'd cried so much in the past week, she couldn't do anymore.

Melinda left her two friends and Charlie where they were, Hermione seeming to be talking to Charlie about something and Ron listening, looking over at the stone which had his brothers name carved into it along with his ex-girlfriend – Lavender Brown.

When she came to a stop where Dumbledore was buried on the grounds she caught sight of Ron, who had moved to talking with Susan and she saw Neville talking with Ginny who was crying. Melinda knew Ginny had been very close to Fred, to both twins really.

"There is still the mater of Voldemort's remains," a low, slow voice said as they came up beside her.

Looking up – seeing as Kingsley was so much taller then her 5'7 – she smiled slightly at the new Minister for Magic.

"I haven't forgotten," she said. "Thanks for taking care of it for me. I know a lot of people wanted to burn it."

Kingsley chuckled without humor.

"They wanted to do a lot more to it then burn it, Mel. I don't understand why you were against it considering all that's been done to you by his tyranny."

"Voldemort...we were alike in some ways. Both orphans, hated by muggles we lived with. Never had any friends, or a true home before Hogwarts. There were as many differences between us as well, but I know him better then even Dumbledore I think. Because I could understand him. Not the monster, exactly, but the boy he was before he became Voldemort."

She sighed.

"I want to give him a burial because I know if things had been different. If someone might have given Tom the help he needed then he might have never become the monster we defeated," she said and looked over at him.

"Maybe I'm just to kind for my own good. You're right, he probably doesn't deserve it but I wouldn't be able to live with letting a mob at him either. He's dead, he's going to suffer for what he's done."

Kingsley nodded.

"I can understand that, I think Albus would have agreed with you," he said. "On a more...business like note. I can't keep the body on ice, as the muggles say, much longer."

Melinda nodded.

"Give me a day, I'll be over to get it," Melinda said and Kingsley nodded.

"Good Luck, in your future Melinda," Kingsley said, before walking off.

Melinda sighed.

"I'm gonna need it," she muttered.

**xXx**

_::Is that bird brain?:: _Sesha asked, looking up at attention towards Helios who was perched on her shoulder.

Melinda had gone from the funeral to the Chamber of Secrets, knowing Sesha waited their for her.

Helios hooted in outrage and Melinda chuckled.

_::You know it isn't, Sesha,::_ Melinda said._ ::This is Helios, Hedwig's son. One of her daughters is currently with __Andromeda and Teddy.:: _

When Melinda had seen the remaining owlets from Hedwig's brood she couldn't help but chose the one that looked the most like her old owl for Teddy and Andromeda.

She had named the owl Selene, remembering that Selene and Helios were the old Titan and Titaness of the moon and sun before the duties were passed to Artemis and Apollo.

_::Bird brain reproduced!::_ Sesha cried out in shock, and a little bit of horror.

Melinda shook her head.

"Yes," Melinda said, reverting to English.

Looking over at the relatively large, yet very young Basilisk she smiled.

_::Now, introduce me to Setara. I have to set some rules so we don't have accidents, considering you can't stay here while I'm in America.::_ Melinda began and Sesha sighed.

_::Can't we take her with us?::_ Sesha asked and Melinda gave her a pointed look.

_::Sure. We can take a deadly Basilisk to a camp full of demigods who will happily kill first and ask questions later.:: _Melinda said, sarcasm lacing her voice.

_::Mistress is right mother,::_ Setara said, moving closer to them.

The stare wouldn't be able to kill a Parsaltongue so Melinda had no fear of staring into the bulbous yellow eyes.

_::Mother?::_ Melinda questioned, raising an eyebrow at Sesha.

If snakes could blush Sesha would have.

_::Hmm, in a manner of speaking. Adopted, I think your kind calls them Mistress.::_ Sesha explained.

_::Right, and thank you Setara for understanding,::_ Melinda said. _::If I could take you with us I would.:: _

Setara gave the snake version of a nod.

_::I understand, you have orders Mistress?:: _

Melinda blinked at how submissive the young serpent was and Sesha hissed in exasperation.

_::Basilisk are very obedient and loyal to a mistress or master speaker. The wisest of the Serpent kind.:: _Sesha said. _::Well, besides those monstrosities Greeks think of true basilisks.:: _

Melinda didn't ask what Sesha meant she simply went about giving Setara her orders. In the end Setara would be able to go to the forest to hunt, or simply to stretch, but she had to make sure to keep away from human contact unless it was Melinda herself.

**xXx**

"You gonna say some words?" Ron asked as he stood beside Hermione.

Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Melinda had all assembled in Godric's hallow, behind the ruins of Potter Cottage, the place she'd been born and faced death the first time.

In a secluded place, under a yew tree, she'd dug a hole and buried Voldemort's body.

The headstone was simple.

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

**'Βόλντεμορτ'**

**Dec. 31st 1926 – May 2001.**

**Dec. 31st 1926 – May 2nd, 2006. **

It sort of read like a gravestone meant for two people. In a way it was, but in another it wasn't. The main reason the name Voldemort was written in Ancient Greek was to keep vandals away.

No one knew Voldemort as Tom Riddle, no one who couldn't read the Greek name under it wouldn't know whose grave this was.

"No," Melinda said. "I think enough has been said about him to last a lifetime."

"You're to kind for your own good," Neville said, shaking his head.

"Weirdest thing we've ever done," Ron agreed.

Hermione sighed.

"I think I understand. Laying to rest the man and the monster at the same time."

Melinda nodded.

"Yeah, let's go with that," she said.

In reality Melinda wasn't sure why she wanted to do this. Why she had requested the body not be desecrated. She supposed it was closure, an end to one era and the beginning to of another.

**xXx**


	28. Lightning Strikes Part II

**AN: So this is the last chapter until I get the sequel up. It might be a few days because I want to gather my thoughts about how to begin it and also finish up Waking Up The Ghost which only has a few chapters left. It was longer than I expected but I hope you all enjoy this chapter. **

**Also I know nothing about Wales so the address of Petunia's home is made up. I don't know if Lilly Court Road exist anywhere in the world. I just thought it ironic.  
**

* * *

**The Forgotten Daughter.**

******Lightning Strikes Part II.**

**United Kingdom, Wales.**

**Lilly Court Road, Number 3:**

Melinda had everything sorted out now, a week after the war had ended but she'd nearly forgotten one important thing. Remus had told her Petunia wished to speak with her, and she'd sworn to herself that if she lived she'd go to see what her estranged aunt wanted.

It couldn't be worse then future family reunions she'd once thought, but now she wasn't so sure.

"Dudley wasn't exactly my favorite person in the world, but I'm sorry about what happened. If I had thought they'd go after your family, I would have gotten you some help," Melinda said, and she really thought she would have.

She hated her muggle relatives. That was true but she didn't wish the Death Eaters on anyone, not even them. It seemed she'd over looked the obvious during the war, and while she truly wasn't all that sad about Dudley or Vernon's death she felt bad for the loss Petunia must have suffered.

She understood loss, she'd lost so many during the war.

Petunia's pursed lips loosened for perhaps the first time since Melinda had known her aunt and the long necked woman sighed. Her head was bowed for a moment before she shook her head.

"At least you're honest. Lily...she was just as honest when she wanted to be," Petunia said. "I know we have a terrible past, and I didn't really ask you here to ask forgiveness or reconcile. Honestly, I don't think us being on terms of...any kind besides a truce so to say would be a good idea."

Melinda stared at her aunt in surprise and confusion.

"Forgive me for not understanding what you're tying to say," she said.

"I know, I do want to apologize for the way I treated you. I expect nothing from you and I won't say I don't blame you for what happened to my son and husband...but it's not me I asked to talk to you about."

Melinda nodded.

"Alright, than what am I doing here, Petunia?" she asked.

"A year before Dudley died he had relationship with a girl in the neighborhood," Petunia began and Melinda raised an shocked eyebrow.

Petunia chuckled with little humor.

"I know, it surprised me too. I won't say I was completely blind to his weight problem but he got better from the last summer you spent with us. He joined some sports, and boxing. He lost a lot of weight."

"I guess miracles do happen," she muttered and gave her aunt a concerned look. "So what does telling me about this girl have to do with why I am here."

Later Melinda would wonder how thick she was to not have seen what was coming.

"She got pregnant," Petunia said, bluntly.

Melinda blinked.

"Alright..."

"She was fourteen."

Melinda's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.

"I see how that could be a...problem."

Petunia frowned, nodding.

"To say her parents weren't happy is an understatement. Dudley was older then her, they claimed he'd taken advantage of her and demanded he not see her again. Vernon was outraged, but I had the good sense to ask about the baby," Petunia said.

"Lori's parents – that's the girls name – wanted her to terminate it or if nothing else give it up for adoption. Dudley had mixed feelings about it, I could tell he didn't truly want anything to do with a baby. I am against ending a life, fetus or not, and asked that they keep the baby to term and we would take it in."

Melinda stared at Petunia blankly but with a new found respect. Just a bit, their past together was much to black for her to be too impressed.

"Did they keep it?" Melinda asked.

Petunia nodded and stood. Melinda knew her aunt was going to get the baby then, and a few minutes later Petunia returned with a baby about a year old. Maybe closer to two. It was a girl by the looks of it, with loose blond curls forming and big green eyes.

They weren't exactly like Melinda knew her mothers were, they were lighter, more grassy, but they had definitely been inherited from the Evans side of the family.

"She beautiful," Melinda said as Petunia sat down with the baby on her lap.

"She is...she reminds me of you, and Lily," Petunia said, sighing. "At first Vernon wasn't exactly thrilled but he grew to accept the idea. When she was born I named her Primrose Dursley, keeping with the flower tradition of the Evans side of the family. Then when she was six months old things started happening. She'd cry and suddenly whatever she wanted would fly to her. Her binky, her bottle, a rattle."

Melinda looked at the baby in shock.

"She's a witch," Melinda breathed.

Petunia nodded.

"When I spoke these suspicions to Vernon and Dudley they were terrified and wanted her out. At first I thought about it, and thought maybe if I found you you might take her, but I couldn't find you," she said.

"She's my granddaughter...so I kept Vernon and Dudley at bay for as long as I could. Then those men attacked and I was so thankfully Primrose wasn't at home at the time. I don't really remember a lot, just pain and waking up in the hospital. I immediate asked for you, knowing the people who were there were like you."

"So is that why you talking to me now? You want me to take Primrose – "

Melinda was shocked when Petunia fiercely shook her head.

"No," she said. "At first yes, but then they told me what had happened. That Vernon and Dudley were dead. I was heartbroken but then I remembered. I still had Primrose and she would need me. After that I thought about everything, giving her up just because she was...different. I don't know how to raise a witch, not really. I was terrible to Lily and you. I knew I couldn't give her up then."

Melinda was more then shocked, she felt like this was all a very odd dream. How could any of this be real? It had to be a figment of her imagination, but it was painfully obvious real. She even discretely pinched herself to be sure.

"I wanted to talk to you because I wanted you to know about her. So that you could help me when it comes to her abilities. Like when she's old enough to go to...Hogwarts."

Melinda could tell this was all very hard for Petunia and shook her head, blinking furiously.

"Okay, I can do that. I mean I'm leaving for America today..."

Petunia's eyes widened.

"You are?"

Melinda nodded.

"Yeah. I can contact you, this house was once a magical home so it should still be connected to the floo," Melinda said and Petunia nodded.

"It is, the Kingsley man used it. He also knows about Primrose. When I decided to keep her, I changed her surname to Evans, and I'm now using my maiden name as well. It hurt to much to use Dursley any longer."

"I'll contact you when I can, or you could contact me through Kingsley. He knows how to get a hold of me," Melinda said.

"Alright," Petunia stood then. "Thank you for coming Melinda, I know you didn't have to."

Melinda stood a second later and nodded.

"I know, but I made a promise to myself to come see what it was you wanted. I think my mom would have wanted me to, even with everything from the past."

Melinda was quick to say goodbye, and leave for Grimmauld Place.

She knew one thing for sure, she really needed a firewhiskey after that.

**xXx**

_::Everything ready, Sesha?:: _Melinda asked, as she finished flicking her wand.

Melinda now possessed two wands. She would have repaired her Holly wand, if she still had the pieces. Truth was the wand had been lost during the war, probably in the forest somewhere.

She hadn't wanted to use the Elder Wand like Dumbledore had, for everyday use, so she'd gone back to Olivander who'd been more than happy to create a custom wand for her.

Cypress, 11 inches, Phoenix Feather with a single Nereid hair intertwined. Basically it was the same as her first wand when it came to core, but this one had a different wood – which Olivander said wasn't unusual – and and came from a different Phoenix and Nereid.

It worked just as well as her old wand, though it had taken her a little while to get used to the newness of it. It hadn't handled like her Holly wand did, but also at the same time felt better.

_::Yes, though I don't know how you plan to sneak a poisonous snake and owl onto a cruise ship, Mistress.:: _

Sesha finished putting her personal effects, which weren't much more then a couple stuffed animals she'd gotten over the years. It was rather strange for a snake to own stuffed anything.

But Sesha had always been strange compared to other snakes.

_::I'm a witch, Sesha, they'll never know you're there. As for Helios, it's not that hard to do the same for him. Except he'll be illusioned to look like a common bird. The fact I'm taking a Cruise ship is just for comfort, they allow animals:: _

Melinda walked around, making sure she had everything and then flicking her head at the trunks. They instantly began to float and follow her down the stairs once she'd secured Sesha around her arm and picked up Helios's cage.

"Mistress, someone is here to see you," Kreacher said, popping up close by and she jumped slightly.

"Kreacher, what have I said about doing that?"

The house else lowered his head, the large replica locket of Slytherin swinging against his chest. She knew the house elf had been very happy to receive his Master Regulus' locket. Since then the attempts of maiming her and poisoning her food had stopped.

At first she'd assumed it had been Dobby's influence, but turned out Kreacher had just warmed up to her. He saw her as a worthy mistress now. She was relieved, though checking her food for deadly ingredients had become a bit of a habit.

Dobby himself had come to work for her, Draco thinking it only right sense she had saved the house elf from death with the Pearls water about two weeks ago. She hadn't been sure the water would work for the house elf, but she knew the chances of it killing him weren't very high either.

At the time he'd been so close to death she'd taken the risk over the latter option of letting him die.

"That was my fault," can a deep, familiar voice.

Melinda gasped and turned around, nearly dropping Helios's cage before she set him down gently. Standing in the doorway leading to the kitchen was her father.

"Dad," Melinda said, surprised. "What...what are you doing here?"

Poseidon grinned at his daughter, taking in her appearance with shinning sea green eyes. She was as beautiful as her mother had been. She definitely had grown a lot since he'd first met her when she was a little girl, sitting on a swing and living in a physically abusive situation.

Kreacher discretely popped away to give the father and daughter some privacy.

"I can't come visit my daughter?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow and he sighed.

"I was worried," Poseidon said. "Hecate told me about the war...and I was watching during the end."

Melinda was shocked to see tears in her father's eyes and she blinked, walking over and hesitantly hugging the larger man.

"You saw me die didn't you?" she asked a minute or two later as she pulled away.

"For a minute I thought you were truly gone," he said, and then smiled a little. "Mistress of Death, huh?"

Melinda blinked.

"How did you know that?"

Poseidon shrugged.

"I told you I was watching the end of it, I saw your last worlds to Voldemort. I know the story of Thanatos' encounter with the three mortal brothers. We just never realized they were wizards of Hecate's creation."

"Hmm, so was there something else that you had to come all the way to England just before I board a cruise ship to New York...or is this it?"

Poseidon chuckled.

"You have your mother's cheek," he said, then turned serious. "They know."

Melinda blinked.

"What?" she asked.

"Olympus knows about you. Athena came to check on her great-great-granddaughter or whatever and saw you. She told Zeus her discovery in March."

Melinda blinked.

"That was like, three months ago..."

"I know, but I had to keep an eye on your brother. I knew you could protect yourself, didn't mean it made the decision any easier," Poseidon replied. "It gets worse. Zeus' Master Bolt was stolen at the last winter solstice. He's blaming me, your brother and now yourself. To make it worse they fear you might be the prophecy child seeing as you did make it to sixteen...pass sixteen even."

Melinda was stunned silent.

"Do I still go to camp? Or is it no longer safe?"

Poseidon chuckled.

"It was never truly safe for you once my brothers found out I broke the oath. But camp is the safest place for you, even with this new development. I also know you've been waiting for this day for seven years."

Melinda flushed.

"I have to be in Southampton in an hour dad, I hate to cut this short," Melinda began and Poseidon nodded.

"I understand. Please, be careful and don't go near the sky right now. Not even on that broom of yours," Poseidon said.

Melinda nodded, pretty soon she wouldn't even need a broom to fly. Of course she hadn't mastered the ability yet, Animagus transformations took time. She found that out the hard way, and she hadn't had a lot of time recently to practice.

A minute later Melinda looked away as Poseidon flashed back to America – she assumed.

**xXx**

Melinda sighed contently as she sat on the deck of the ship, or whatever you'd call it. She laid on a chair, she wasn't positive the name too, she thought it might be called a lawn chair or something. She'd seen her aunt use them growing up to get a tan in the front yard, or to take to the beach.

She wore a bikini top and pair of shorts and sandals. The sun beat down on her and Sesha who was curled up around her shoulders and arm. She was the only one who could see the very large snake, thanks to a small notice-me-not spell. Powered by the Elder Wand it would take a very, very strong clear sighted person or a god to see past it.

_::This is so much better then running from Death Eaters for nine months,:: _Melinda muttered in Parseltongue, so only Sesha could hear her.

_::Yes, much agreed Mistress,:: _Sesha replied, lazily.

Melinda smiled and crossed her legs at the ankle, and replaced her ear-buds back into her ear and browsed her IPOD music choices. She splurged a little on things before her trip, after all seven days on a cruise ship was only fun if you came prepared.

Closing her eyes, Melinda set the IPOD on low volume, and began to doze off into a peaceful sleep. At least for the time being.

**xXx**

Melinda had arrived in New York the day before, and spent the next three days setting up her life in America. She was not quite a legal adult in Muggle America, turning eighteen in July, but she had papers, forged by the Ministry to show she was emancipated in the muggle world. In reality she was only emancipated by Magical means legally.

She had gotten a apartment in Manhattan, even though she had more than enough money to buy a small house. Hecate had suggested the apartment building she currently lived in. it had three bedrooms and a rather large living room and medium size kitchen. Quite nice for the price.

She was used to places much bigger, having lived in Grimmauld Place for so long, but having lived in a cupboard under the stairs for longer she could adapt to this new setting. It hadn't taken her long to locate her brother. Percy lived with his mother, not far and currently went to Yancy Academy.

She was guilty of stalking...but she had been dying for at least a look at her brother. She'd lived with out close family for so long, and she'd waited for years to see him. She'd seen him once in her demigod dream before third year but it had been a long time ago and he'd been a lot younger then.

He still had messy black hair, tanned skin and bright sea green eyes. In other words she was struck by how much like a mini-Poseidon he looked.

A week after she arrived she decided to head to Camp Half-Blood. Especially after the meeting with a fury, she wasn't sure which one but it hadn't been fun. She had a small burn from the furies fire-whip to prove that. She didn't like relying on the Pearl for all her injuries so she'd decided to let it heal naturally. It wasn't that bad of a burn, just stung and ugly looking.

Helios enjoyed the new area, though seeing a snowy owl was even stranger in New York than in England so the growing owlet always had a notice-me-not charm on it, no matter how low powered it was. In other words, a demigod would most likely be able to see through it.

It was the evening when she arrived at the Camp boarders. It was hard not to notice the large pine tree, seeing as she had to pass it. The welcome she received wasn't exactly...normal for lack of better term, but she'd half expected the weapon pointed at her before Chiron had trotted up.

The centaur reminded her a little of Firenze and Bane, if you mixed them together. Scary, thought.

She supposed she did look rather intimidating with an owl flying behind her, and a large snake wrapped around her arm . Speaking of Sesha, the snake had risen up to spit venom, metaphorically, at the three demigods who'd greeted her with swords.

One was younger then the others, with blonde hair curled like a princess and hard gray eyes. The other was around fourteen with black hair and stony brown eyes, but the one who caught her attention most looked about one or two years older then her.

He had blue eyes, like ice, and sandy blonde hair. A scar on his face which looked rather gruesome, but seemed to suit him.

"Who are you?" Chiron asked, or more like demanded.

Melinda was about to speak when the demigods gasped, and Chiron's eyes widened.

_::Mistress, is it common for you to start growing holographs out of your head?::_ Sesha asked.

Looking up Melinda gasped as well.

Above her head was a green trident. She'd been claimed, and she hadn't even been there but a few minutes.

By now nearly the whole camp had gathered to see the commotion.

"I'm Melinda," she began, looking at Chiron. "Melinda Potter, daughter of Poseidon, and Legacy of Hecate."

There were multiple gasps and whispers about what a legacy was before Chiron bowed.

To her surprise nearly all the demigods dropped to their knees in front of her. Helios hooted from where he perched and flew over proudly to perch on her shoulder, causing the blonde girls mouth to drop open even further.

"All hail, Melinda Potter. Daughter of Poseidon, God of the Sea, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Legacy of Hecate."


End file.
